RUNNER UP

FORGET-ME-NOT . A THIRD LIFE TO THE ALTE FÄHRE

Project Description by Team: After 80 years of services, the Alte Fähre is showing some signs of exhaustion but, is it yet the time to forget about it? Or it just needs some care and a new purpose for the years to come?
The project aims for a set of exterior, interior and intermediate spaces that work symbiotically to create a physical and emotional framework for social activities. An adaptable bioclimatic infrastructure will shelter the Alte Fähre from further deterioration setting it up for the use of the citizens, acting as an interior garden in winter and as a shaded exterior in the increasing hot summers, becoming a climate refuge. A compact wooden building will host the rest of the interior programs. Built from green and constructed archipelagos, Lochau must rely on the multiple creeks that cross the landscape to promote the slow circulation and boost the thriving fauna and flora. Follow the sound of water.

Jury Statement: "The project is valued for its robust and well-developed proposals across scales, which can be easily projected into future scenarios. It takes green infrastructure seriously and strongly illustrates a framework that incorporates the wider aspects of the site and links it to the reflection site. “Forget-Me-Not” is seen as a project that has a lot of potential even, when not implemented in its entirety. The proposed building is recognised for its community value and placemaking. [...] Despite the considerable dimensions of the boathouse and a proposed footprint exceeding regulations, the boat ruin emerges as an outstanding feature, providing a compelling argument for the warmth and character of the location. The team's creative use of the boat as scenography adds a unique and captivating element to the project. The jury praises the project for offering a strong interpretation of the Europan theme "Care," emphasizing the significance of ships to Lochau's identity.”

Team Statement: "We approached Europan as an opportunity to research topics that diverge from our everyday life projects. However, in a hyper-conscious act, we became particularly interested in the context of Lochau, which mirrors our studio location in a small city next to a lake. The ecosystemic richness of the shores reveals the vulnerabilities of our living world and the interdependent relationship between nature and culture, ourselves, our artifacts and everything beyond the human realm.
Our proposal reflects on the idea of caring for both the built and unbuilt environment, cycles around the current notion of obsolescence, and embodies the identity of Lochau.
Whether negotiating with diverse landscapes, providing second life chances or engaging with inhabited milieus, the approach must attune with the consciousness of a planet in transition.“