Orkhan Hasanov

Performance Hall

Adaptive Reuse of Object 6 in the Arsenal Vienna

This diploma project proposes a 3,200-seat performance hall through the adaptive reuse and extension of Object 6 in the Arsenal Vienna, positioning reuse as a generative architectural strategy rather than a constraint. The project investigates how a spatially restrictive and historically layered structure can be transformed into contemporary cultural infrastructure while preserving its material and spatial identity.

Object 6 is characterized by a long and narrow footprint composed of 35 repetitive structural units, a condition that strongly limits conventional reuse approaches. Following a wartime explosion, the building’s original masonry arches were replaced by a reinforced concrete column-and-beam system, fundamentally altering its structural logic. Despite its strategic urban position and strong connectivity through roads and pedestrian infrastructure, Object 6 remains underutilized, having been the subject of multiple unsuccessful reuse proposals. The project treats these limitations as architectural drivers rather than obstacles.

Due to its geometry, reuse and expansion are only possible through vertical and outward extension, which becomes a defining spatial strategy. The building is reinterpreted as a mediator between public and private realms, conceptualized as the intersection of a Venn diagram. Transitional spaces are transformed into active connection zones, while separation is achieved through vertical hierarchy, spatial height, and light conditions rather than physical barriers. Public circulation ascends from the darker interior of the reused structure into a brighter contemporary extension, reinforcing spatial continuity and experiential progression.

The performance hall adopts an arena typology, referencing early collective gathering forms and establishing a democratic spatial condition in which every seat maintains an uninterrupted sightline to the stage. This configuration allows for high capacity while promoting inclusivity. Extensive research into performance hall typologies and acoustic behavior informed the development of an experimental acoustic system, enabling real-time modulation of reverberation. By manipulating ceiling geometry between concave and convex forms, RT60 values can be adjusted without compromising other acoustic qualities, allowing the hall to accommodate multiple performance types.

The project proposes a new model for large-scale performance architecture in Vienna—one that combines permanence through reuse with adaptability through acoustic and spatial flexibility.

Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien