firm uses dark concrete and glimmering metal for groundwater pumping station in austria

architecture studio firm has completed a new groundwater pumping station, built for the city of bregenz and the towns of hard, lauterach and wolfurt in the west of austria. located on an open meadow next to a small castle, the seventy-meter-long structure is built using washed-out, dark concrete with the intention to ‘craft the façade with the water contained within the volume.’

photos by adolf bereuter

the austrian studio has played down the station’s size and aimed at blurring its presence within the surrounding environment. the largest of its various doors measures more than four meters in height, which is difficult to realize as one approaches the building, while all doors are made of dark blue, enamel-coated metal sheets that glimmer like the surface of water. 

the pumping station comprises two structures: the main technical building, which is mainly closed to the public and includes the technical installations for the water preparation as well as huge water tanks; and a small cube next to it that contains the vertical fountain and pumps up the fresh water. a small landmark castle, ‘mittelweiherburg’, is located right next to the technical building, which together with the two structures of the station creates an open space in between that is used by the public. there, a water fountain and concrete blocks provide an area to rest while waiting to enter the museum in the castle, or while driving along the public bicycle path which crosses the site.

project info:

name: groundwater pumping station mittelweiherburg

architecture: firm architekten

overall direction: rudhardt+gasser+pfefferkorn ziviltechniker

client:  gemeindeverband wasserwerk hard-fussach 

site: hard, austria

area: 450 m2