Althan Quarter, Vienna (AT)

The Althan Quarter lies in the area of tension between the architectural heritage of the 1970s and the Gründerzeit style buildings of the 9th district. The area of the Franz-Josef railway station is characterised by a “head construction” planned by Prof. Karl Schwanzer in 1978, which will be renovated and supplemented by a high-rise. For the adjacent building site to the north, we have developed a terraced ensemble, harmoniously embedded in the quarter, with two moderate high points as a striking accent.
Most of the volumes are concentrated in the lower floors. The public podium zone along the street offers a lively mix of gastronomy and shops with numerous passageways and squares. From the 5th floor upwards the building leaps back in steps, creating spacious terraces.
High-quality apartments with a southwest view of the Wienerwald are arranged along Althanstrasse, the hotel and offices are located in the north-east along Nordbergstrasse. One of the two towers, about 60 meters high, accomodates a hotel with a panoramic restaurant on the top floor. Together with the new high-rise “head building”, they form an exciting yet harmonious triad.
The façade concept is based on freely arranged opaque and transparent elements. In the interplay of glass and metallic surfaces, projecting and retreating elements of different depths create a lively façade image overlaid by light and shadows.
Great attention was paid to the design of the open spaces. In addition to the public high park, the intensely planted terraces and roofs offer private or communal open spaces. The multifunctional high park is built nine metres above the enclosed tracks of the Franz-Josef railway station below. Wooden plateaus, water games, green areas and generous playgrounds for children and adolescents create a space for leisure and relaxation.

Client: 6B47 Althan Quartier Projektentwicklungs GmbH
Architecture: Dietrich | Untertrifaller with Stoiser Wallmüller Architekten
Competition: 2018 / 2nd prize
Area: ca. 60,000 m²
Capacity: apartments (40,890 m²), hotel (11,690 m²), offices (3,800 m²), shops (3,250 m²), Kindergarten (800 m²)

Partner
Structural engineering: Bollinger Grohmann, Vienna / building services, electronics: Team GMI, Vienna / building physics, wind comfort: Roland Müller, Stockerau / fire protection: Hoyer Brandschutz, Vienna / landscape: Kieran Fraser Landscape Design, Vienna /// renderings: © Expressiv, Vienna