Three universities under one roof: Campus Krems extension officially opened

After 35 months of construction, the new building complex - developed and planned by the international architectural firm Baumschlager Eberle - has created optimal conditions for research and teaching: On 18,000 square metres of floor space, there are 23 laboratories, 140 offices and 14 seminar rooms, which are used by all three universities on the Krems campus. The centrepiece of the new building is the access area, which extends over three buildings and also acts as a link between the buildings of the individual universities. The property developer is the Building and Property Management Department of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government.

KL Rector Mallinger: Room for further growth

As the newest institution on the Krems campus, Karl Landsteiner Private University can look back on rapid development over the last 10 years: "We started with 28 students in 2013 and now have 820 students," explained Rudolf Mallinger, founding rector of KL Krems. "The growth in student numbers alone has made this expansion necessary and is essential for us." An expansion of laboratory and office space was also necessary in the second area of the private university, research. "We currently have 17 faculties in the fields of health sciences, medicine and psychology - and are growing steadily. We are very grateful to have gained these parts of the building," emphasised Mallinger.

Not least the recently accredited PhD programme "Mental Health and Neurosciences" has increased the need for additional usable space: "All relevant specialist areas in this interdisciplinary research focus are now united under one roof in the new wing of the building - from physiology to clinical psychology. This facilitates collaboration between researchers immensely."

IMC-GF Prommer: New office concepts for changing working environments

IMC Managing Director Ulrike Prommer emphasised that the world of work at universities has changed. This is why new concepts were already being looked at at some universities in 2018 and implemented here. "It's a new way of working together, you need new spaces and we deliberately wanted to take a new approach." All three departments are housed in the new area, which also leads to interdisciplinary encounters.

UWK Rector Faulhammer: A place to exchange ideas and work together

UWK Rector Friedrich Faulhammer looked back on 30 years of his educational institution. The current 8,000 students come to the campus occasionally for their modules and enjoy this special environment. "We have learnt to work together digitally in a variety of ways. But coming together in one place to exchange ideas, work, study, learn and teach together is something very special and also reflects our growth. We are therefore very pleased that we were able to move into these new premises together."

Governor Mikl-Leitner: 100 million euros for the expansion of Campus Krems

Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner said that Lower Austria can look back on a long history in the field of science and research and now has a high ambition: "We want to bring a Nobel Prize to Lower Austria in the next 20 years." To this end, investments have been made in a strong science axis throughout the province and this has been continuously expanded. EUR 100 million has also been invested in the expansion of the campus in Krems and a total of EUR 1 billion has already been invested at the Krems site. "We have succeeded in transforming Lower Austria from a purely agricultural state into a successful agricultural, economic and scientific state," said the Governor.

Everything started very small here in Krems with the establishment of the Danube University, the IMC University of Applied Sciences and later the Karl Landsteiner University. "It's wonderful what has been created here - a real campus. I think research is important and necessary and needs the best framework conditions. It is important to us that research facilities offer everything you need to feel at home, where you can research, learn, study and network. All of this has been achieved here," emphasised Mikl-Leitner.

The Governor went on to say: "There are 1,000 reasons why we should continue to invest in science and research and not a single reason why we should not. Today we are on historic ground. Because the starting point for making Lower Austria a land of science came from here." It is good soil and a lot of money will continue to be invested in the expansion of science. Mikl-Leitner: "We are not doing it as an end in itself, but because it makes sense. Because science and research are the backbone of the future economy. Science is a good breeding ground for prosperity and we want to continue to have prosperity in the region and throughout Europe."

Deputy Governor Pernkopf: Excellence and modern infrastructure at Campus Krems

Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf said that three specific points had been set out in the state's new science agenda: "Success through excellence, progress through modern infrastructure and trust through communication. We want to attract the best minds from all over the world to Lower Austria in order to achieve the goal we have set ourselves. This requires a commitment to excellence and state-of-the-art infrastructure - which we have here." He also hopes that research and science will be even more important in Austria in the future: "Because all the big questions of our time can only be answered by the results of science and all solutions can only be found through research. Anything else will not get us anywhere, which is why I wish the three institutions here all the best and say thank you for the great collaboration."

Architect Wildfeuer: Successful balancing act between individuality and community

Architect Julia Wildfeuer spoke of an "exciting task", as the new building was realised in the context of the World Heritage Site here in Krems with the three different user groups, who had different requirements. "It has become less of a building and more of a city within the city," she emphasised, saying that it was important to her that "we create a very communicative building here. I think we have succeeded in striking a balance between individuality and community."

The ecumenical blessing was performed by Diocesan Bishop Alois Schwarz together with the designated Superintendent Michael Simmer. The ceremony was accompanied by music from the Radio String Quartet.

The new campus offers optimal conditions for studying and teaching, the building fulfils high energy standards and achieves the klimaaktiv GOLD standard with 1,000 points. The campus extension comprises 23 laboratories, 140 offices and 14 seminar rooms, which are used by IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems, Danube University Krems and Karl Landsteiner Private University. The centrepiece of the new building is the access area, which extends over three buildings and also acts as a link between the buildings of the individual universities. The property developer is the Department of Building and Property Management at the Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government.

Text based on Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government

Facts and figures:

- 80,000 cubic metres of earth were excavated - roughly equivalent to the volume of 1,000 coaches
- 53 geothermal probes were drilled 
- 13,000 metres of probe pipes - that's 40 times the height of the Eiffel Tower - were laid
- 2,800 tonnes of reinforcement - the weight of 5 Airbus A380s - were installed
- 17,500 cubic metres of concrete were poured into the building
- 984 windows were installed
- A total of 629,000 metres of cable were laid
- 11,000 litres of paint - 73,000 full bathtubs - were applied to the walls
- 50 companies carried out the work
- 200 people were employed

Watch the video: Campus Krems extension