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Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited

Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

raum skuor
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Imprint

Karlsplatz Revisited: Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

Editor
Arbeitsbereich für Stadtkultur und öffentlicher Raum, Institut für Kunst
und Gestalten 1 und Institut für Städtebau, Fakultät für Architektur
und Raumplanung, TU Wien
Karlsplatz 13
A-1040 Vienna

Team
Karin Harather, Abteilung Kunst und Gestalten 1
Sabine Knierbein, Arbeitsbereich für Stadtkultur und öffentlicher Raum
Markus Tomaselli, Abteilung Städtebau
und
Celma Paese, PROPAR (Program of post-gradual Education in Architec-
ture) at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Porto
Alegre, Brasilien
as well as the students of the design studio “Karlsplatz Revisited”
(Wintersemester 2014/5)

Editorial Team
Karin Harather, Sabine Knierbein, Celma Paese und Markus Tomaselli

Layout
The students of the design studio “Karlsplatz Revisited”
(Wintersemester 2014/5), as well as Clara Linsmeier

Pictures
Karin Harather, Sabine Knierbein (p .6)
Celma Paese (p.10)
Marija Babic (p.12, p.13)
Fanni Breiner (p.14, p.15)
Man Yuan (p.16, p.17)
Melanie Schrimpf (p.18, p.19)
Nikolas Kouidis (p.20, p.21)
Armin Unterkirchner (p.23)
Carlos Ferreira Mayerle (p.24, p.25)
Clarissa Brendler (p.16, p.27, p.31)
Lu Yu (p.28, p.29)
Elisabeth Hofstetter(p.30, p.31)
Lisa Jindra (p.32, p.33)
Francesca Bertagnin (p.34, p.35)
Stephanie Pinto Ribeiro (p.36, p.37)

Contact
markus.tomaselli@tuwien.ac.at, kh@kunst.tuwien.ac.at, celma-
paese@gmail.com, knierbein@skuor.tuwien.ac.at

Vienna 2015
ISBN
978-3-900669-21-8
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Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited

Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
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Preface

In one of many collaborative projects since we started our cooperation nearly ten
years ago, the PROPAR Architecture Research and Graduation Program of the Fed-
eral University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil (represented by
Visiting Prof. Celma Paese), the TU Wien Faculty of Architecture and Planning–De-
partment of Spatial Planning (the SKUOR Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture
and Public Space/Ass. Prof. Sabine Knierbein), the Department of Art and Design
(Drawing and Visual Languages/Prof. Karin Harather), and the Department of Urban
Design (Prof. Markus Tomaselli), introduced the topic of WALKING to the workshop
titled “Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation” within
the framework of the master’s program of the TU Wien, Faculty of Architecture and
Planning.
With support from CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education
Personnel), we were able to invite Prof. Celma Paese from October 10-24, 2014 to
hold this great workshop together with a team from the TU Wien and 19 students,
including guests from several European countries and participants of the dual-de-
gree program of the TU Wien and Tongji University, China.
I would like to use this opportunity to thank the entire PROPAR team for our long-
standing cooperation and Prof. Celma Paese for her contribution to this program.
We are looking forward to continuing the exchange and collaboration between Porto
Alegre and Vienna.

Markus Tomaselli
Coordinator of the Cooperation Agreement between UFRGS and the TU Wien
Head of the Institute of Urban Design and Landscape Architecture
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Preface
 7

Karlsplatz Revisited: Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

New global approaches in the design of public space often tend to homogenize its
surfaces and smooth out its diverse spatial elements and multiple uses in favor of a
sterile and recognizable consumer atmosphere for international tourists and afflu-
ent groups in the city. In autumn 2013, designers and planners from the fields of ar-
chitecture, urban design, the arts, planning, and urban research working at the TU
Wien, a traditional and important academic institutions located adjacent to Karl-
splatz, initiated the TRANSformation platform. This platform brings together NGOs,
scholars, and local administration officials who aim to discuss the future of Karl-
splatz (and other sites in Vienna). This platform is focused on new forms of partici-
patory policy learning and policy innovation by reinterpreting standard competition
procedures for developing public spaces in urban regeneration areas. As Karlsplatz
will face substantial changes during the forthcoming renovation of the Wien Muse-
um, we, Karin Harather and Sabine Knierbein, joined the debate upon receiving a
request by Markus Tomaselli to co-organize a workshop with a Brazilian colleague
based on methods of walking and emotional mapping. We gladly accepted this kind
invitation, as we think it necessary to highlight a range of core qualities of Karl-
splatz:

- Its strong everyday character as a local, lively, and lived space used by a plethora
of actors, users, visitors, and residents.
- Its potential to keep important Viennese cultural institutions in place (both the TU
Wien as well as the Wien Museum stayed where they were when offered the oppor-
tunity to move to new locations).
- Its already existing small spaces that allow very different user groups to find their
niche in the shared spaces of urban society, despite the fact that over the last few
decades, the shared spaces of Karlsplatz have also come under increasing pressure
by segregative forces.

As urban space-oriented scholars working at the TU Wien who mainly teach about
public space issues, we thought it important that the TU Wien, particularly the de-
partments of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning, take a strong position on fu-
ture plans for Karlsplatz. This is because we consider Karlsplatz to be not just a
space for lunch breaks and after-work meetings with colleagues, but a crossroads
where key agencies in the formation of a critical public meet, overlap, and intersect.
We consider these key agencies and encounters to be of the utmost necessity for
the production of innovative thinking in our fields, and in order to plan, design and
understand the city. This is as much about the relationship between Karlsplatz and
its main cultural institutions as it is about the relation between the university, the
museum, and public space in general.
In collaboration with Celma Paese and Markus Tomaselli, we co-organized a seminar
to teach Celma’s methodology, to follow up on several important aspects of ad-
dressing the specific relationships, and discuss the responsibility of the planners
and designers working at and graduating from the TU Wien:

1. Everyday tourism as an alternative concept for overcoming the pitfalls of consum-

er-oriented global design trends for public space

Central areas in Vienna have been and are now again coming under increased pres-
sure to host an influx of international tourism rising due to city marketing. At the
same time, a notable increase in the urban population means that public spaces in
general not only have higher flows of people in a quantitative sense, but also bear
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witness to more diverse user interests. Rather than focusing primarily on the needs
of city marketing for the external presentation of Vienna, we argue that it is precise-
ly the strong everyday use by a mix of residents, workers, and tourists that ensures
the high quality offered by this square/park. This strength makes Karlsplatz a
unique space with both local and global qualities. Through its balanced mix of non-
consumption and popular consumption, visiting Karlsplatz is affordable for very di-
verse groups. This is an existing quality that needs to be taken into account when
planning for a partial redesign of the square and park (Karlsplatz/Resselpark). The
area is also a green lung with considerable environmental assets: a large pond and
the shade cast by the tall trees that prevents overheating are core elements for im-
proving the urban climate on a very compact and local scale.
These considerations are incorporated into the course work with students as fol-
lows: dealing with alternative approaches to a different kind of everyday tourism for
local residents and users of the square, the objectives of the movements and walk-
ing activities (within the workshop), and the individual and collective mapping of
the hospitality of Karlsplatz as a welcoming space. This sensitive approach results in
the production of emotional mappings and related cartographies.

2. Arts and activist-based practices and methods for fostering new approaches and
long-term benefits

Along with architects and urbanists, artists and activists are increasingly taking a
special interest in urban issues and in methods of introducing alternative planning
practices and methods. In general, artists rarely have the opportunity to be in-
volved at the very beginning of a planning process, and activists are often not in-
volved at all. Mostly, they are called in once planning structures are already com-
pleted, to merely add an aesthetic improvement or to “solve” a social or spatial
problem with a short-term project. New problems and challenges within the realm
of improving planning abilities would require new and specific input on long-term
benefits and influences on urban development. Celma Paese’s artistic approach, fo-
cusing on the impact of individual perception, can offer one such other perspective.
The “Counter-maps of Walking” are adapted to highlight, analyze, and deal with the
very special spatial qualities of Karlsplatz at this stage, i.e. its social, affective, cul-
tural, economic, and historical identity. In this way, students have different kinds of
very basic and essential experiences, which will offer them other tools and strate-
gies for further planning processes. This is, at least, one step forward towards
emancipating and integrating artistic and activist practices into urban planning and
design in a more “equal manner”.

3.
Policy design as a means of innovating current design competitions for public
spaces using Karlsplatz as an example

In the workshop, we were able to co-produce initial ideas for a “design brief” for fu-
ture public design competitions related to Karlsplatz. These were partly the result of
students’ reflection on their own process of creating an emotional map and of their
immersion into the everyday life of the square/park. The idea behind this is that, in
the majority of cases, mainstream public space design competitions nowadays al-
ready embed participation as one of the core planning instruments. We question,
however, the types of participation offered, the ways that participation is imple-
mented (top-down, bottom-up, self organized, inter-alia), and to what extent it ac-
tually contributes to more inclusive outcomes for Karlsplatz. One striking feature of
contemporary design competitions is that a sort of formal top-down participation is
often implemented before the real design competition is initiated. However, this
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participation usually stops short once the material design decisions that really have
an impact on the everyday use of public spaces start to be made. We ask whether
the architects’ and planners’ chambers in Vienna are open and innovative enough to
allow for new experiments in design competitions, not merely on an interdisciplin-
ary level (among various institutionalized disciplines), but also on a trans-disciplin-
ary level (involving local NGOs along with other professional players as partners in
such competitions). We consider this to be relevant because local NGOs, activists,
and artists are generally considered to be the agents who work with the wishes,
emotions, and effects of local residents in non-institutionalized ways. At the same
time, their involvement is more challenging, as they may point to structural prob-
lems or take a strong stand for more vulnerable groups in society overall.
These considerations translate into our course work with students as follows: public
policy processes as well as their relevance and importance for future work in our
fields are reflected on in terms of public space design before the architect or planner
starts to sketch the first drawing, which involves a vision of openness towards civil
society initiatives in cooperation with state agencies. A reflection on the heteroge-
neous landscape of NGOs in Vienna and Austria that highlights NGOs relevant to
public space design has the potential to help the more vulnerable groups in urban
society voice their claims on public space in general, and to Karlsplatz in particular.
COURSE WORK REFLECTION
During the course work, it became apparent that the students focused much more
on the first aspect of the course. We became aware that an introduction to policy
design would need more time and a more substantive course format than just a
small and compact Stegreifentwerfen (impromptu design, 2.5 ECTS). For this rea-
son, our results primarily offer alternative and “perceptive” ways of analysis and
highlight the importance of not forgetting the emotional “layers” within current
planning – especially when planning for public space – and leave room for initiating
a more in-depth discussion of the need for participatory politics of space around
Karlsplatz.

Karin Harather – Department of Art and Design

Sabine Knierbein – Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space
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Walking – Resselpark and Its Lessons of Hospitality

“Strange logic, but so enlightening for us, that of an impatient master awaiting his
guest as a liberator, his emancipator (…)”
(DERRIDA, Of Hospitality, 2000, p. 123)

The architecture of a city can be understood by the ways its spaces welcome inhab-
itants and by the way that people live with these spaces. This is what determines its
potential for hospitality. The ethics of architectural hospitality not only depend on
spatial forms, but also on the attitudes born from welcoming gestures such as oth-
erness, openness, flow, and pause. These gestures promote the inclusion of the
Other – Diferenza – that engenders the hospitality of space.
The Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited – Walking workshop aimed to create a cartography
of influences that could improve the hospitality and quality of Resselpark, starting
with Jacques Derrida’s concept of hospitality. The workshop consisted of two activi-
ties: in the first, Walking, participants were invited to map the paths taken in their
everyday life through my reframing of the homonymous activity created by Lygia
Clark. In the next activity, Emotional Maps of Walking, the experience was trans-
ferred to the park. Participants created their own cartography of hospitality influ-
ences and feelings of being welcome from their exploration of the movement paths
registered by the media they chose. The methodology used for these cartographies
of influence and movement was based on Guy Debord’s Theory of the Dérive and
the Situationists’ writings. In this exercise, each participant created a critical car-
tography of influences in order to pinpoint possible ways to improve the hospitality
and welcoming qualities of the park.
As a visitor passing through Vienna, I perceived how Resselpark is embraced and
welcomed by the city. Its lessons of hospitality are numerous, with its different
uses, shapes and spatial elements inviting urban diversity.
During the five-day workshop, participants translated their living experience of the
space into a mapping.
Through the multidimensional examination of each subject’s spatial perception
prompted by the mapping process, and after mapping their own proposals for new
possibilities of use in order to improve the hospitality potential of the space, the
students registered and interpreted the park’s lessons about hospitality in their own
way. The presented works express individual perceptions and are rich in emotion.
The group also proposed a community mapping, which summarizes these percep-
tions and invites outsiders to the workshop to participate in the experience.
My special thanks to Dr. Markus Tomaselli for the invitation that made it possible to
bring the Walking workshop to the TU Wien.
I would also like to thank Dr. Karin Harather and Dr. Sabine Knierbein for their sup-
port during the whole experience.
Last, but not least, I would like to express my very special thanks to the students,
without whom we would not have had such bright, beautiful, and sensitive results.

Prof. Celma Paese

PROPAR-UFRGS
12 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Marija Babic
The idea of this project was to produce a
map that would show residents as well
as tourists how to find and use different
parts of Karlsplatz and Resselpark. In
this overview, I have explored and locat-
ed the spots that are the most pleasant
and welcoming either for stopping for a
while or just for passing through, and
those areas that might still need to be
Karlskirche, Karlslpatz improved.
The experience of examining my own
feelings while spending time in different
parts of Karlsplatz gave me a totally new
perspective on exploring new or already
familiar sites. In this research, it was
not necessarily important to know all
the statistics and previous research on
the area, but rather to develop a per-
sonal approach while spending time in a
chosen spot. This enables one to ob-
serve the behavior of other people and
to start to connect emotionally to differ-
ent parts of the location, something one
might not normally do. After visiting the
park and making notes while observing
the visitors, I paid particular attention to
the feelings that different parts of the
park might elicit from visitors. The map
I made shows different ranges of leisure
activities and the purposes of each park
area. Red dotted area represents the
most active and welcoming areas of the
park, while the orange and yellow ones
represent less welcoming, or less visi-
ble, private spots. The areas represent-
ed in blue dots are almost exclusively
used as “corridors”. These are also the
spaces that lack seating and offer no
possibility to spend a longer period of
time in the park.
While walking through the park, I no-
ticed that the areas in front of the
church and around the Heuer Café are
the most welcoming ones, as there are a
lot of people either sitting, reading, re-
laxing, chatting or playing there. On the
other hand, areas such as the children’s
playground, sports facilities, and the

“café island’’ give the impression of be-
ing private and are not the most wel-
coming. They also convey a slight feel-
ing of being an enclosed space.
When you pass Karlskirche and walk to-
wards the Wien Museum, you get the
impression of entering a private space,
dominated by an official building (the
Australian Embassy). There is also an
invisible border to the park itself, which
is at one point bisected by a passageway
leading to Schwarzenbergplatz and fur-
ther on towards Belvedere.
Walking away from the museum to an-
other part of the park, which is sur-
rounded by dense vegetation and opens
up slightly towards the road, one feels
cold because of the deep shade, but
there is also the sense of a private space
where one could relax and read even
though there is car traffic on the road
nearby all the time. Furthermore, there
is an open space that is only used as a
corridor, leading to the Otto Wagner Pa-
vilion. The space around the pavilions
allows you to see the whole park from a
different perspective, as there is a direct
view of the church and the university.
Unfortunately there is no seating, so you
cannot stay there for any longer period
of time. What is more, the pavilions are
hardly visible from the park level. The
spaces around both subway station en-
trances are mostly used as corridors and
13
might cause mixed feelings, as there is
always a police officer around. This may
feel safe, but it might also cause stress,
as though something bad might happen
at any moment. Since there is an invisi-
ble border between the park, the official
building and the area behind them, the
connection between these two spaces the space between the park and the
should be improved, for example by in- government building
troducing more street furniture, a gar-
den, or green areas so that people can
feel more welcome there. I think the Ot-
to Wagner Pavilion should be more no-
ticeable from the park level, and there
should be a space for relaxing and
meeting to encourage people to spend
more time there. In addition, there
should be a better connection to the
park between the museum and the
church itself, and this environment
should be more welcoming – for all
passers-by and not only for visitors to street furniture
the pavilions.
Three suggestions for improvement:
1. Improve the connecting function of
the space between the park and the offi-
cial building – street furniture/garden/
green area;
2. Create a new design for the space
around the Otto Wagner Pavilion –
street furniture;
3. Improve the connection between the
pavilions, the museum, and the church
– make it more welcoming.
14 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

Fanni Breiner

Karlskirche, the main attraction
Thanks to its central location and unique
atmosphere, Karlsplatz is not only one
of the most popular tourist attractions in
Vienna, but also one of the busiest
transport hubs in Vienna.
Analysis summary:
1. Transparent view through the park
2. Easy access to the area’s main attrac-
tions
3. Attractive and welcoming route from
point of arrival to tourist destinations
Design brief fro Karlsplatz:
Create a park that combines the follow-
ing aspects:
1. Community meeting point
(for students, locals)
2. Tourist facilities
(café, snack, rest area)
3. Communication tools for advertising
the Wien Museum (signs, installations
about the current exhibition, etc.)

Even though it is a popular tourist desti-
nation, the square is quite separate
from the main attractions in the city
center. There is no continuous, comfort-
able path (in terms of audibility/visibility
and morphological structure) leading
tourists from one point to another (for
example from the Opera to Karlsplatz).
This situation is also true for Karlsplatz
itself: because of the different “islands”
with shrubs and trees, the park is not
transparent, people can only get their
15
rules and regulations in the park
bearings from the dome of Karlskirche –
but there are no attraction points on the
way from the subway to the church.
I would suggest a more transparent
spatial planning across the whole park
area, “decorated” with some points of
interest (installations, unobtrusive and
creative advertisements) that is able to
guide tourists on their way to Karl-
skirche or Wien Museum.
contrast - Still life in the neighborhood
of the Karlskirche
16 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

Man Yuan

An exchange student who comes from
Southeast University,China.
Karlsplatz is definitely a wonderful place
for resting and for all kinds of other ac-
tivities. It has many welcoming spots
that attract tourists as well as local resi-
dents.
During this project, I went to Karlsplatz
in the morning and in the afternoon to
observe people’s activities and favorite
stopping places. While no one stays in a
particular area in the morning, this does
not necessarily mean that it is not wel-
coming, as the temperature is relatively
low and people generally don’t linger in
one spot unless there is sunshine.
Therefore, I drew two maps to show the
differences between morning and after-
noon, and then analyzed them in a third
map.
In each map, I used several different
symbols. Welcoming areas where people
like to stay a while are marked in red.
The orange areas are elements that con-
tribute to the welcoming of these places,
such as the church, the trees, and the
pool. They are the reasons contributing
to why people prefer to stop at one
place rather than another. The blue ar-
eas show spots where no one wants to
linger. The grey areas are buildings and
surroundings that contribute to unwel-
coming places. The fourth symbol (in
pencil) shows the places where popular-
ity is unclear because there is no seat-
ing, and people are only seen walking
through.
When I had finished the maps, some-
thing interesting became apparent. For
example, some spots that no one had
wanted to stop at in the morning turned
out to be rather popular ones in the af-
ternoon (in the map, blue turns into
red). So I combined the two maps. In
the third map, the red areas are places
that are popular either in the morning or
in the afternoon. These are the spaces
that should be maintained and learned
from. The blue areas show those spots
that are unpopular in the morning as

morning afternoon

well as the afternoon, which may need
to be revised and are potential areas for
renovation and change.
The three most important aspects for a
welcoming place are as follows:
1. Sunshine. This may be the most im-
portant aspect for human activity, espe-
cially in winter. Sunshine keeps people
warm and joyful, something easily con-
firmed at Karlsplatz.
2. Safety. Safety should be guaranteed,
especially for children and the elderly.
For example, the areas near the skate
park and the bicycle lanes are not wel-
coming.
3. View. People prefer to sit in spots
where they can watch rather than be
watched. This may be the reason why
people prefer to stop on high ground or
to sit near beautiful scenery or brilliant
architecture (for example, the Karl-
skirche).
Places in need of improvement are as
follows:
1. The shrubs near the Otto Wagner Mu-
seum most urgently need to be changed
because they not only prevent people
from walking through, but also from
seeing through. They break the connec-
tion between Karlsplatz and the Otto
Wagner Pavilion.
2. The museum next to the main building
of the TU Wien causes many problems,
including obstructing the connection be-
morning + afternoon
17
tween Karlsplatz and the open space be-
yond.
3. Some places are rather cold and dan-
gerous, such as the skating area. Not
only does nobody play there, but no-
body sits there either.
My three alternatives for a future design
competition focusing on the everyday The first day of our workshop and the
features and welcoming qualities of the ‘lifelines’ we cut from an A1 paper.
square:
1. The connections between the main TU
Wien building and Karlsplatz need to be
changed. It would be preferable to make
the entrance more welcoming. One ex-
ample would be glass materials, which
people can see through.
2. The shrubs near the Otto Wagner Mu-
seum should be cut. A grass slope could
be created there for people to lie down
or walk across.
3. More seating facilities (not necessarily
chairs) should be placed in the sunnier The last day of the workshop.
areas. All the works are displayed on the wall.
18 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Melanie Schrimpf
This is one of the welcoming places
which is in front of a restaurant. In
summer there are many of students
who are seating in the grass.
Over the last few days, I began analyz-
ing Karlsplatz and Resselpark.
My first step was to divide the space into
welcoming and unpleasant areas. This
depended on my feelings regarding a
particular place, and how bright and in-
viting it felt to me. My experience and
feelings about Karlsplatz and Resselpark
are completely different from people not
having lived in Vienna for over 20 years.
The next step was to find out where
most people cross Karlsplatz and put it
on the map.
In my opinion, the most unpleasant spot
is the area in front of the Wien Museum.
When walking through this area, I felt
uncomfortable because of the shadow of
the trees. Another reason is that the
trees block the view of the church.
The connection between the Wien Muse-
um and the main space of Karlsplatz
needs to be more visible and welcoming
for everyone.
This year, the TU Wien created an alumi-
num pavilion in front of 21er Haus, a
museum. Such an aluminum structure
would be a very interesting and wel-
come connection between the Wien Mu-
seum and Karlskirche, forming a pas-
sageway between them. Seating could
also be designed in this manner.
Thus, the passage would not only form a

connection, it might also function as a
place to stop and meet new people.
During the day, sunlight could shine
through the structure, and at night it
would be important to illuminate the
passage. This would prevent the cre-
ation of another dark place, and people
taking the passage would feel more se-
cure. This might encourage more tour-
ists and residents to visit the Wien Mu-
seum.
The following aspects are important for
welcoming places:
1) The most important aspects for creat-
ing welcoming places are to add more
19
The workshop lasted six days. At the
beginning everybody created a “life-
line” which was cut out from a A1
paper.
light (bright places) and to prevent
darkness (few shadows).
2) The next aspect is to design elements
that make a place more interesting, for
example signs in several languages to
explain the history of Karlsplatz and in-
teractive seating with modern tables
(integrated touchscreen/touch pad with
games like chess).
3) Last but not least there should be An aluminium structure as a connection
more greenery (grassy areas) to enjoy between Wien Museum and Karl-
skirche.
on sunny days instead of concrete
paths.
20 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Nikolas Kouidis
Abstract Overlapping
Analysing the Karlsplatz I made an eval-
uation of the different Karlsplatz-areas
regarding my own personal perception
and wellbeing.
I applied a simple rating from double
minus (- -), neutral (o) up to double plus
(++). My experience was that the pro-
cess of mapping couldn’t be achieved by
ashtray simply walking through the area once.
stimulation of smell Absorbing different data and simultane-
ously using it to gain information is too
complex for that. Therefore, I did the
mapping by walking through two, and in
some areas even three times.
Based upon the resulting rating, I con-
tinued by figuring out the respective
sources. Apart from looking at the obvi-
ous visual aspects, I realized that the
stimulation of the senses of hearing and
smell also played an important role in
my evaluation. I came to the conclusion
that it is not each sense individually that
gave me an overall perception, but rath-
er the intersection of many senses.
Using watercolors as a technique for
showing this intersection, I have chosen
three main colors: green (positive per-
ception), blue (neutral perception), and
red (negative perception). I decided to
scan the painting and work on the print-
ed scan using different images – a col-
lage that brings together my emotional
perceptions based on smell and hearing
and combines them with the visual as-
pects – an on-site, multidimensional in-
tersection symbolically committed to
paper. On the basis of this, I concluded
the following important characteristics
of welcoming spaces, adding examples
of how their attainment might be ap-
proached:
1. A good balance of the stimulation of
ALL the senses
• For example, a bench in the sun next to
10 garbage bins is not welcoming;
• A bench in the sun next to a fountain is
welcoming.

• The visual (sun) combined with the au-
ditory (murmur of water) and its poten-
tial smell (fresh and natural) is a, if part-
ly subconscious, welcoming stimulation.
2. Functional connections between dif-
ferent areas
• A path should lead somewhere where
the senses allow us to feel that we are
going in the “direction perceived as cor-
rect” (form follows emotion)
• In other words, when one is walking
and smells trees, hears birds, and sees
greenery, the path reveals its potential
destination. It would be easier to find
this space of silence if it was introduced
by concrete switching to grass, followed
by bushes and ending in trees instead of
an abrupt border.
3. Choices – different paths
• If possible, one should have the oppor
tunity to choose between differen paths
• E.g., a bridge leading from one point to
21
flowers
stimulation of smell
another can only have the function of
crossing, but underneath it a rest area
may be visible.
Taking this technique a step further, one
could draw separate maps for the indi-
vidual senses in a digital map using
CMYK colors combined with pointillism
as a technique. One might use CMYK
dots on a map for spaces that stimulate
one’s sense of smell.
Wherever the points approach each oth- water
er and/or grow in size, the sense is stim-
stimulation of sound
ulated more. Adding another layer for
another sense in a different color on top
of the first can show the intersections
between these senses, which may pro-
vide answers to the following questions:
Where do perceptions intersect?
Where do they appear separately?
How are they related?
22 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Armin Unterkirchner
The workshop was an interesting ap-
proach to the Karlsplatz renewal.
Creating a public space for everyone is a
great challenge: in a multi-user space,
everyone should feel safe and comfort-
able, irrespective of social situation. The
emotional mapping method allowed us
to experience the space the way its us-
The Karlsplatz, an always changing, ers might. This way of perceiving a
multisocial space space is more emotional than a tradi-
tional site plan. It makes you realize
which aspects influence the area in a
positive way, and which need to be im-
proved to achieve a satisfactory envi-
ronment.
The resulting maps show areas that are
experienced in a positive way together
with less appealing ones in a simple
graphic.
The Karlsplatz concept, with islands for
different uses and users, provides a
good foundation that still has room for
improvement. Orientation difficulties
and a few dark, unwelcoming areas are
starting points for possible interven-
tions.
A good mixture of open-design areas,
which provide orientation and a feeling
of security, and places with more dense
vegetation for privacy and shade, ac-
commodates more individual needs.
Main attractions, like the Wien Museum,
should be easily visible and form an in-
teractive part of the park.
Removing the curbstone around the
green islands would make them more

inviting for pedestrians and signal that
stepping onto or lying down on the grass
is permitted. This is a small change
would nonetheless improve the Karl-
splatz experience.
A bigger intervention would be the de-
struction of the invisible wall. Walkways
cutting across the square’s separate ar-
eas and a more enjoyable connection
between the two main parts of the park
would have a positive impact. What is
more, the axis of the Kärtnerstraße of-
fers wonderful views of St. Stephen’s
Cathedral and the Opera. A connecting
platform across the road would not only
provide a safe path to the other side, it
could also be put to commercial use,
give tourists a new view of the city, and
23
island typology with antisocial sitting
accomondation
create a vantage point across the whole
of Resselpark.
The issue of seating could be solved with
modern outdoor furniture. Small groups
of connected seats instead of meter-
long, strung-together individual chairs
would create more social interaction.
With the current social changes, Karl-
splatz may become even more impor-
tant for the city. no kerbstone; the green is used
In summary, the workshop convinced
me that emotional mapping is an excel-
lent tool for planners and designers.
24 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Carlos Ferreira Mayerle
Karlsplatz is one of the most discussed
urban public areas in Vienna.
So when we did our first Walking i was
very concerned about defining problems
in this place. Therefore it was not diffi-
cult to name some of them.
Karlsplatz is a highly divided space
which is often used as a transit area. Be-
a place to stay tween this movement-zones there are
even more subdivision which lack of vi-
sual connections.
But then I start thinking with myself:
This is probably one of the biggest quali-
ties of Karlsplatz as the only urban
space which offers a big variety of atmo-
spheres and space for different activi-
ties.
This heterogenic structure includes ev-
erything from small niches, where one
can be for himself, various playgrounds,
romantic tree groves and restaurants to
a big square in front of Karlskirche,
which is the most vivid area.
This is why I draw my emotional map as
a big amusement-park. All these differ-
ent spaces coexist as close as possible
without disturbing each other.
The development of the “Karlsplatz Art
Space” project and the interaction be-
tween the University of Technology of
Vienna, which in my opinion should be
even more intensified, is also giving
more enrichment to this place.
For new visitants of Karlsplatz it can be
quite difficult to orientate between all
this different areas.
The biggest issue is the lack of connec-
tion between the Vienna Museum and
the main subway entrance of Karlsplatz,
as they are located very distant from
each other. So I would suggest to im-
plement a guidance system which un-
derlines the diversity of this urban zone
without trying to simplify the complex

relations of the subspaces and at the
same time creates a consequential in-
teraction.
Based on my statements about Karl-
splatz i would propose a different ap-
proach for the process the design com-
petition:
As a basis for the participants there
should be an opinion survey to evaluate
the core wishes and concerns of differ-
ent users. So it would not last to have a
questioning at one single location of this
area, it is fundamental to have user-in-
terviews from at least four different
spots. The questioning could be rather
simple and short. E.g.: “What is lacking
here?” and “What is the best here?”.
As a second input for the participants of
the competition, and for everyone who
wants to experience Karlsplatz from a
different perspective, there should be
25
a place to study
installed a paper-chase through the whole
park. This would result in a wide knowl-
edge of the diverse spaces and their quali-
ties.
The conclusion of the competition should
be a public event which would result in a
recommendation of the society using Karl-
splatz: All design proposals could be pre-
sented at the big square in front of Karl-
skirche and everyone interested in the fu-
ture of this Area should have the possibility a place to play
to vote for his/her favourite proposal.
As a consequence of this design process,
where so many people helped develop the
new future Karlsplatz, would be a very
strong identification with this place which
leads to a profound connection between
the Viennese and Karlsplatz.
26 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Clarissa Meneghetti Brendler
Karlsplatz is one of the largest public
transportation hubs and meeting points
in Vienna and therefore much more than
simply a square; it is actually a mix of a
square and parks.
Having lived in Vienna for three years,
this was how I experienced and became
familiar with the area, as I crossed the
sunny spots square every day from the subway sta-
tion towards the Vienna University of
Technology. The first impression I had of
Karlsplatz was that of a crossroad.
Depending on the time of the day and
the day of the week, Karlsplatz can be
experienced differently When walking
there early in the morning on a week-
end, there is not much going on apart
from a few people walking their dogs,
crossing the square to go to a nearby
bakery, and a homeless person still
asleep. But on a weekday the place is
busy with students arriving at the uni-
versity, people going to work, and chil-
dren going to school. It is a square with
different axes of circulation of people
and bicycles, and everyone is in a hurry.
As soon as the sun manages to pene-
trate the dense vegetation of the
square, you start to see people looking
for a spot in the sunshine. Normally they
will choose the area around Tilger Foun-
tain, in front of St. Charles’ Church,
where a temporary exhibition called
“Hypotopia: Die Milliardenstadt” is cur-
rently on display.
Another welcoming place is a café and
bar at Rosa-Mayreder-Park, with a nice
outdoor sitting area and an enjoyable
urban garden. As the day goes by, the
square/park gets busier, especially in
the sunny spots: people having a coffee
or a beer, eating lunch, chilling out, chil-
dren having fun in the playgrounds, par-
ents out walking with strollers, tourists
finding their way to Karlskirche, the
Wien Museum, and the Otto Wagner Pa-
vilion.
When the sun is down, it is time to leave

work, the university, the tourist attrac-
tions, and Karlsplatz becomes a cross-
road again. There are a few people
around the exhibition, some couples
walking hand in hand, unconcerned, not
worrying about the “dangers of Karl-
splatz” that used to haunt people in the
area. Today, this problem seems to be
solved. In any case, I never felt threat-
ened there.
At night the square is, for the most part,
well illuminated, but it was during the
day when I found it dark. I observed a
lack of sunlight especially between the
subway station and the Wien Museum
and next to the church. The dense vege-
tation made me feel cold and not really
welcome.
The fact that the seating areas are indi-
vidual chairs around the trees also both-
ered me. Replacing the chairs with com-
munal benches and opening up the
green areas would make people interact
and feel more welcome. I think the indi-
vidual chairs were designed to deter
homeless people from sleeping on the
square, but as it is a public space, they
have the right to be there too.
I have also observed a lack of connec-
tion between the Wien Museum, the Ot-
to Wagner Pavilion, and the square. The
museum is hidden behind the trees and
I initially mistook it for the pavilion,
which is also hidden between the trees
27
and the heavy traffic of cars, trams, and
buses. The trees are, of course, highly
important and indispensable for such a
public space, but they should be pruned
to reduce their density.
Good signposting is also lacking. Ressel-
park is indicated, but those unfamiliar
with the area will not be able to under- Wien Museum
stand its connection to Karlsplatz.
Although the area still needs to be im-
proved, overall I felt quite welcome
there. Discovering each new corner or
path was exciting and relaxing at the
same time. Getting lost between the
trees while listening to children play was
an experience of losing myself in a fa-
miliar place.
The experience of exploring Karlsplatz
was very useful in terms of improving
my knowledge of the place, my connec-
tion with it, and working out how I
would improve this connection. dense vegetation
This is important for future proposals for
the area, as the “physical” connections
are there, but it is hard to perceive
them. To know how welcoming a place
is, you need to explore your own experi-
ence and, most importantly, come to re-
ally feel it.
A place like this is made for a large and
diverse group of people, and observing
how they behave, in my opinion, is the
best way to understand how to make
improvements.
28 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Lu Yu
The student comes from China and is a
double-degree exchange student
between TUW and Tongji University.
Karlsplatz is one of the most attractive
spots in Vienna. I think the main reason
for its fame is that it is a welcoming
space as a whole, not only for tour¬ists,
but also for residents. Tourists can visit
several sights, such as Karlskirche, the
Wien Museum, the Otto Wagner Pavil-
ion, etc., each of which tells a part of the
long history of this public space and en-
able tourists to experience the local cul-
ture. For residents, on the other hand,
what takes place here is simply part of
their everyday life: children play, stu-
dents spend their free time after class,
teenagers hang out at night, and the el-
derly stroll in the afternoon. The con-
nection with daily life is quite strong,
and many residents walk across the
public space as part of their commute.
Regarding the main pedestrian path
from the subway station to the Karl-
skirche, the yellow area in my map, I
would like to point out that it is the most
welcoming place in Karlsplatz, because
when walking there, the direction lead-
ing up to the fountain in front of Karl-
skirche is very clear, and one never los-
es one’s bearings. During the daytime,
the pedestrian paths are full of sunshine
and there is little shade, so it is easy to
watch people and their activities. Birds
singing, children laughing, and warm
sun¬shine all accompany me when I
walk in the park. So Karlsplatz, like a big
umbrella, has the ability to combine all
kinds of activities by very different
groups of people, and even to encour-
age further activities.
However, is it really welcoming every-
where? I don’t think so. What are the
reasons for the welcoming or unwelcom-
ing atmospheres? The blue areas shown
on my map are what I found to be the
most unwelcoming spaces. The Otto
Wagner Pavilion is above ground on
Karlsplatz, but when I first arrived, I
didn’t even know where they were.

Also, the plants in front of the pavilions
are too high to see the main building of
the TU Wien, meaning that there is very
little connection between the pavilions
and Karlsplatz. I also marked the court-
yard and front lawn of the Wien Museum
in blue, as both spaces are less fre-
quented and feel quite abandoned.
The shape of the courtyard is enclosed,
but is currently only used as a passage-
way. One side of the Karlskirche is under
renovation. When walking there, I felt
quite unsafe, possibly the result of the
fact that the back façades of two build-
ings form both sides of the walkway and
there is little happening there… the lack
of sunshine, the inaccessible street, and
the high exposure are all current as-
pects that cause very few people to
want to linger there. No activities were
observed there during either period of
my fieldwork. Orange areas are medi-
um-welcoming spaces. Too many trees
make the ground seem a little dark dur-
ing the day, while a lack of chairs and
other facilities also makes these areas a
little unwelcoming.
To summarize, the three most important
aspects for welcoming spaces are:
1. They must be safe and not affected by
traffic, crime, and other negative as-
pects.
2. They should be easily accessible from
other areas.
29
3.
They need to satisfy the different
needs of diverse groups of people.
For the urban design brief, I think a new
public design competition for Karlsplatz
should pay more attention to the
rela¬tionship between Karlskirche, the
Wien Museum, and the Otto Wagner Pa- This is the first day of our workshop
vilion, because the lawn in front of the and each one draw what ever they want
on a A1 linner paper.
muse¬um, the channel at one side of
the church and the landscape corridor
are all quite unsatisfactory at the mo-
ment. There should be a stronger con-
nection between these three public
build¬ings; simply more lights or other
infrastructure might be sufficient to en-
courage more activities. In addition, the
question of how to maximize the use of
public space at different times and in
different seasons is also an important is-
sue. Some areas of Karlsplatz are used
in the summer, while during the winter This is the first day of our workshop.
there is no activity at all. We need to Following the direction of the teachers,
we cut a A1paper into various linners.
learn more about everyday life in public
spaces, and I think communicating and
sharing activities with its users is a good
way of finding out what is really needed
in this particular public space.
30 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Elisabeth Hofstetter
Three most important aspects for wel-
coming places at the Karlsplatz
The square in front of the Opernpas-
sage/metro station entry is one of the
most frequented areas of Karlsplatz. It
was noticeable that people want to sit
on this square. On a sunny day people
drink their coffee there, or are just wait-
no benches, people sitting on the border ing. It seems like the entry is often used
stone
as a meeting point.
But there is no single bench at this
square. People are sitting on the border
stone, on stairs, or on the floor. This
could be improved. With a small inter-
vention of making more sitting possibili-
ties at the entry area, this place would
become a more welcoming entry to Karl-
splatz.
The entry of the Wien Museum is not
visible when you come from Karlsplatz.
It is not „connected“ very good to the
square. The entry of the museum is in a
lonely dark hidden corner of Karlsplatz.
Hidden with bushes and some „dark“
trees (conifers).
Between the museum and the Karl-
skirche are some green areas which at
the beginning seemed to me like not
use-able green spaces. But then I real-
ized that this space has a certain use
and quality for some other people. It is
more quiet than the rest of Karlsplatz.
When you sit there, it feels like being
“offside”. For people who want to use
the Karlsplatz as well, but don’t want to
be exposed to the gaze of the masses
this area and its certain quality is very
important.
The third most important aspect of wel-
coming places at karlsplatz for me is the
sitting. Mostly there are no benches but
brown metal chairs at karlsplatz. The

material is cold and uncomfortable. You
can only sit there in one straight posi-
tion. Which makes them even more un-
comfortable, specially when you are sit-
ting there with other people and want to
chat. Also the position of he chairs, all in
a straight row, makes it difficult to com-
municate with others.
I am aware of that, that this sittings are
often on purpose planed „uncomfort-
able“, so homeless people could not
sleep there. Apart of the ethical aspect,
I think it has no sense at all to plan sit-
tings which are just uncomfortable for
every one; for the homeless people and
for day to day users who use it just for a
short time.
“Design Brief” for future public design
competitions related to Karlsplatz
Future designs should concern the entry
situations to Karlsplatz.
31
cold, narrow metal chairs
Look at the most frequented areas like
the metro station exit and improve the
sitting situation there.
A future design should also improve the
welcome area at the Wien Museum.
Make the entry visible from the Karl-
splatz. It could also improve the „not
useable“ greenareas in front of the mu-
seum.
But it is very important that a new de-
sign remain the quality of the area near
by as a „hide out“ zone and respect the green areas
needs of the users of this area. To en-
sure this, a participatory design process
should be done.
A future design at Karlsplatz should also
concern a replacement of the “metal
chairs” for some comfortable, welcom-
ing sittings.
32 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation

Lisa Jindra

light installation “Lichtinsel”
“To think creatively, we must be able to
look afresh at what we normally take for
granted.” George Kneller
Most of us walk across Karlsplatz and
Resselpark every day, rushing to and
from university. We rarely take the time
to experience and appreciate the place.
Consciously walking through the park
and thinking about the way it feels was
an interesting experience for me.
Everyone thinks and feels differently
about this place. As for me, I think the
park can be divided into two areas. The
area with the most welcoming spots
starts at Karlskirche and leads along
the TU Wien to the underground pas-
sage that leads to the Opera and the
subway stations.
The other – unwelcoming – one leads
through the other side of the park
along the noisy road. I think this area
is too dark, during the day there is a lot
of shade from the trees, and at night
there are too few lanterns.
When designing my map of Karlsplatz,
I used bright yellow for welcoming and
dark blue for unwelcoming spaces.
Furthermore, I highlighted situations,
areas, and designs that I liked with a
smiley face, while unwelcoming places
were flagged with a sad face. Areas
with a lot of potential for future design
competitions such as the Lichtinsel and
the Karlsgarten were highlighted with a
red heart-shaped stamp.
The most unwelcoming places are, in
my opinion, the second entrance to the

subway, which you will find when you
walk from the main entrance of the
university toward the Künstlerhaus,
that looks like a cave, and the square
in front of the Wien Museum. The
museum is hidden in the corner of the
square with almost no signs leading to
it. Most people, residents and tourists
alike, are not even aware it is there.
The most important aspect of welco-
ming spaces for me is feeling safe. I as-
sociate feeling safe with well-lit places,
therefore dark corners and passages
should be avoided. A welcoming space
should also be designed for all sorts of
different people, so children, students,
families, the elderly, pet owners, and
homeless people can use the park.
Future design competitions should take
33
welcoming place - Karlsgarten
into account what is already on site
or has already been done there. A lot
of different designs in one place often
result in a patchwork look. In the case
of Karlsplatz, the passage leading to
the Opera and the subway stations
was remodeled last year, and there are
some installations throughout the park
as well, such as the Lichtinsel. These
existing designs should be integrated
into new design competitions.
The three aspects of welcoming places: unwelcoming place -
entrance Wienmuseum
1.Safe atmosphere – well-lit spaces day
and night
2.Designed for all sorts of different
people
3.Designs (existing and new) should
harmonize
34 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Francesca Bertagnin
I’m an Erasmus student from Italy,
and saw Karlsplatz for the first time
one month ago. Clearly, it is one of
the most important squares in Vienna,
and hundreds of tourists pass through
it every day. As a student, I realized I
needed to find a favorite place to stay
during the university breaks. So I star-
Karlskirche ted to walk around.
Karlsplatz is a huge pedestrian area
in the heart of the city, surrounded by
busy streets. Despite this, you do not
notice the street noise because of the
dense vegetation, which is maybe too
thick for such a cold city, as there are
no benches in the sun. Karlsplatz is a
place for people of all ages: children,
young people, adults, and the elderly.
The many green areas welcome the
tourists and local residents who come
here to take a walk, read a book, have
coffee, or take the kids to the playg-
round. Cyclists are also welcome and
can ride safely in separate lanes.
The two most crowded spaces are at
either end of the square: The fountain
in front of Karlskirche, where tou-
rists stop to take pictures, is a space
undergoing constant change. Since I
have been here, I have seen the foun-
tain filling with the small buildings of
Hypotopia in place of water, and it now
accommodates a Christmas market. On
every occasion, people are drawn the-
re. I find that Karlsplatz is a place that
triggers the curiosity of people. At the
other end, an island with cafés is se-
parated from the main park by a busy
road. This is not a touristy place, with
many students using the area, lounging

on the grass in summer, and in winter
chatting in the cafés.
At Karlsplatz, the different traffic flows
form a node that allows everyone easy
access. In fact, there are many public
transport connections here, including
busses, trams, and subways. This
makes it a perfect meeting place for
people from any part of Vienna. Proxi-
mity and centrality make Karlsplatz the
heart of the city.
Many buildings rich in culture can be
found here. It is a place of education,
with an elementary school as well as
the TU Wien. Younger students will al-
ways cherish this place. The Karlskirche
dominates the square with its imposing
shape reflected in the waters of the
fountain. This is the most attractive
point, a meeting place with a lovely
35
Hypotopia
view. Not far away, but more hidden,
is the Wien Museum, which exhibits
important elements of the city’s history.
In my opinion, it should be emphasized
more, maybe through more colorful
and clear signage. I’d like to see a color
map on the ground to guide tourists
and locals alike through the great
square, which is sometimes a little
distracting.
The Otto Wagner Pavilion is located at
an elevated position, an emblem of the Otto Wagner pavillion
Vienna Secession. The two buildings
are located behind the exit of the sub-
way, and lack visibility for this rea-
son, something maybe a mirror could
improve.
Architecture and art meet at the dispo-
sal of future generations in this frame
of green.
36 Karlsplatz Vienna Revisited. Everyday Tourism and Policy Innovation
Stephanie Vanin Pinto Ribeiro
Karlsplatz is a beautiful town square
between the first and fourth districts of
Vienna. Resselpark, on the south side of
the square, is a really nice park to hang
around.
Once inside, most of the park is green
and full of life, transmitting a welcoming
sensation. But some areas may become
workshop situation a bit dark because of the shadows laid
out by the trees, which may be a good
feature during the summer, but in the
winter can make it really cold.
Contributing to this cold atmosphere is
the way the seats are placed in the park.
Most of them are individual, in the sha-
dows and not facing each other, giving a
feeling of solitude
Despite that, what I believe should really
change is the relation between the peri-
meter and the inside of the park. One
side of the perimeter faces a big avenue
and doesn‘t have a passage for peop-
le to cross on their bikes. On the other
side, there are some trails, but most are
unattractive, away from the sun and not
that welcoming to walk, so people don‘t

really go there.
In the drawing, I represented with colo-
red circles what I believed was positive
in yellow, what attracts people in blue,
and what should change for the better
in red.
On the map, I used watercolor to re-
present, from brown to blue, what ap-
peared less welcoming to most welco-
ming in the perimeter, respectively. In
yellow, I colored the areas that I felt
were best and fuller of life. The areas
with most nature, shadows and that co-
37
presentation
ver the sights are represented in green,
brown and blue. Mostly is hard to see
what goes on around Karlsplatz because
almost every building is cover of nature.
The museum, for example, is really hard
to find once inside the park because it’s
not possible to see it.
After this work of reflection through
Karlsplatz, I still see it as a very welco-
ming place that has a great potential to
be even better.
with Celma