Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences and Sägerbrücke bridge

Sägerbrücke bridge crosses the Dornbirner Ache stream, which forms the southern border of the city centre. During the reconstruction of this busy roadway, the architects consciously designed the bridge as a pleasant place to come and spend some time. For this reason, it is several metres wider than it is long and any differences in height between the traffic lanes, central reservation and pedestrian areas were kept to a minimum. The use of concrete for the supporting bridge structure was ultimately applied to the entire construction, with the traffic lanes, bike lanes and pedestrian areas forming a continuous, flowing arrangement. The concrete is raised at the sides to create a pair of protective walls and also swoops up above the seating areas to provide cover.

Heading south, the bridge connects to the University of Applied Sciences: this former federal textile school was renovated by a team of architects and repurposed as a higher education institution, with the individual buildings arranged as a campus. Three main structures featuring different heights and facade designs are connected by a single-storey auditorium to form a harmonious overall appearance. Towards the north, the bridge leads directly onto the event hall topped off with its hallmark curved roof. Despite undergoing a thorough energy-oriented renovation, the flair of the original 1950s architecture still shines through.

Dornbirn city hospital is also located nearby: originally constructed in the 1980s, it has been subject to regular extensions and conversions in recent years. The elevated administration building in Lustenauer Strasse road is a particularly eye-catching feature, as are the new riverside operating theatres with their black expanded metal facade.

Sägerbrücke

Architecture: Architekturwerkstatt Dworzak – Grabher, 2016

Fachhochschule Vorarlberg (University of Applied Sciences)

Architecture: inventory: Willi Ramersdorfer und German Meusburger, 1954-1960

Architectural renovation: Helmut Dietrich, Christian Lenz, Hermann Kaufmann, Wolfgang Ritsch, 1998

Krankenhaus Dornbirn (Dornbirn city hospital)

Architecture extension building administration (2004) and renovation intensive care Entrance area (2009): Gohm Hiessberger Architekten

Architecture extension operating room (2019): Marte.Marte Architekten