Close the curtain - it's getting colourful!
Kepler Hall, Linz (AT)
Geometric minimalism and playful textile art meet here. Kepler Hall, the Welcome Centre of Johannes Kepler University in Linz, Austria, combines representation with upbeat cheerfulness. Geberit contributed the Pluvia roof drainage system for the impressive roof of the building.
An auditorium for students, a welcome centre, a sports hall, a concert hall, a fitness centre: There is room for everything here under the cantilevered flat roof. And yet the term multi-purpose hall falls short. Kepler Hall sees itself as the entrance to the campus of Johannes Kepler University Linz in Austria. Since 2020, the new building with its total area of 3,000 sqm has served as a welcome and event centre for students and for the city's population. Art and sporting events, science events and street festivals are all welcome here - in and around the building.
Minimalist form
Architecturally, the building impresses with its strict minimalism. The underground level is built in solid construction (reinforced concrete); the above-ground levels are built in steel construction with a wood and glass façade structure. The roof, which cantilevers widely on all sides and is drained by the Geberit Pluvia roof drainage system, provides protection during open-air events, and invites visitors to linger.
Colourful textile art
Despite its minimalist architecture, Kepler Hall appears extremely playful. The textile installation by Viennese artist Gilbert Bretterbauer contributes to this. For each side of the building - one glass façade each - he developed different fabric panels consisting of individual modules with geometric colour patterns. The textile artist uses 25 different colour shades for these unique curtains and combines them over a length of 800 metres to create an “inner façade“ of the building. As a counterpoint to the austere architecture of the building, this inner façade appears very lively. Changeable as it is, it alludes to what this educational institution is all about: colourful life.
Know how installed
The Geberit Pluvia roof drainage system works according to the principle of negative pressure. It is designed in such a way that the pipes quickly fill completely with water when it rains heavily. This creates a closed, rapidly flowing water column that suctions the water off the roof effectively. For more than 30 years, Geberit Pluvia has been reliably draining the roofs of shopping centres, football stadiums, logistics buildings, airports, museums and other buildings all over the world.
