An office building designed by architect Harry Glück in the 1960s has been transformed into a modern residential building with a sculptural façade design.
The former office building, designed by the well-known Viennese architect Harry Glück in the 1960s, at Traungasse 12 has undergone a complete structural transformation and is now a premium residential property. WertInvest commissioned BWM Architekten with the conversion and extension of this object. Traungasse is centrally located near the vibrant commercial area of Vienna’s 1st district. Outstanding recreation and cultural institutions – such as the Belvedere, the Stadtpark and a number of theatres and concert venues – are also within walking distance. The original building’s characteristic shape with a rounded corner arose from its prominent location at the intersection of three streets and calls to mind New York’s famous Flatiron Building at the intersection of Fifth Avenue, Broadway and 23rd Street.
Sculptural façade design
“The new residential building is located at one of the most distinctive sites near Vienna’s Schwarzenberg Square,” says BWM architect Markus Kaplan. “The sculptural, horizontally structured façade design takes into account this unique location at the tip of a triangular-shaped block of buildings. The balconies and loggias, which run around the façade, offer interesting perspectives of the city thanks to the star-shaped, convergent visual axes. Integrated plant troughs break up the façade, enhance the exterior spaces of the residential units and also create added value for the immediate surroundings. One of our main aims when transforming this former office building into a residential building was to create architecture that is eloquent in the language of upscale residential buildings and awakens a sense of longing in the beholder.”
Eyecatcher in the urban environment
BWM Architekten had the overall responsibility for the conversion and renovation. The white-gold shimmering façade features Alucobond “ribbons” that give the building a highly distinctive look within its urban surroundings and draw attention from all directions. Thanks to its unique form and façade design, the Apartmenthaus am Belvedere has the potential to be a true landmark at this connecting point between the 3rd and 1st districts and the so-called embassy district. Each unit has its own outside space, and these loggias, balconies and terraces are integrated into the dynamic, structured façade. In addition, floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors ensure that all units are flooded with natural light.
Gutted, upgraded and three floors added
The original building was gutted, leaving only the load-bearing reinforced concrete skeleton structure, the central access area and the underground parking garage. The elements were upgraded and renovated in accordance with current structural engineering and fire protection standards, and three floors were added to the existing floors, bringing the total number to ten. All in all, 35 freehold flats with individual layouts were created. The sizes vary between 60m2 and 250m2. All units are fitted with high-quality materials and products.
Task
Conversion and extension of an existing office building from the 1960s by Harry Glück into a modern residential building
Status
Completion 03/2019
Location
Wien, Österreich
Client
WertInvest Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH
Usable area
approx. 4,000m2
35 flats ranging from 60 to 250m2 in size
BWM Team
Markus Kaplan, Michal Jiskra, Rita Guggenberger, Alexandra Stage
Image credit
BWM Architekten
Participants
General planner / Chief architect
BWM Architekten und Partner ZT GmbH
Final planning & construction supervision
U.M.A. Archtitektur-Ziviltechniker GmbH
Domestic engineering & electrical planning
Ingenieurbüro EDHOFER GmbH, Immo-Objekttechnik GesmbH
Statics
KS Ingenieure ZT GmbH
Construction physics
Röhrer Bauphysik
GC construction
AY-KA Bau GmbH
Electrical engineering
AT Smarthome 360 GmbH
HKLS
Friedel GesmbH
