Congress Centre in Bad Gastein Austria

Abstract

One of the most outstanding characteristics of this Congress Centre is its great adaptation to the hilly ground on which it is situated occupying a very small area and having successfully solved the problem of a difference of elevation of 50%. The entrance to the building is on the top floor, placed at the level of the street that limits the plot in its highest section. On this floor, which is covered by a transitable terrace, are the various offices and premises for the use of the congress members. Below the entrance level is the technical floor which holds all the installations of the building and immediately below this floor is the great congress hall in two levels and with a varying capacity of 800 to 1,500 persons. Finally, two storeys, situated in the lowest part of the building, are reserved for storage rooms, and garages. The construction has almost entirely been carried out by means of prefabricated members, out of which the most important ones are: columns with square cross-section, with big supporting heads that support an approximate load of 2,000 t; the girder in the shape of an inverted T; and the double ceilings of prefabricated plates which by means of concrete foundations rest upon the caisson ceiling in squares of double web girders.