A city planning competition provided the guideline for an exposed main body with different heights and widths located at the entrance to Village im Dritten in the center of Vienna, Austria.
The generous main entryway with a ceiling height of 5 meters grands access to the building and represents a knot of communication. An open bike storage and work shop area are accessible from the main entrance as well as the court.
A social crises management center is located on the ground floor accommodating children and teenagers between the age of 3-15 in their time of need.
Almost every single floor contains a common room equipped for different types of use. Supporting single parents, there are common rooms for studying, playing, cooking and sleep overs.
Bike and stroller storages are located next to the elevator on every floor.
Two grand common outdoor spaces are to be found on the 6th and 7th floor, providing urban gardening, lounge terraces and zones with intensive greening.
The two tall wings of the structure are covered with solar panels and semi-intensive planting, reducing CO2-emissions and generating energy for common spaces.
The main characteristics of the project are the L-shaped elements on the planted south facades and the L-shaped balcony structure on the west facade that are linked above the main entrance. The stairway structure of the balconies and the distinct frame of loggias behind it create an ensemble with both a suspenseful depth effect and a playful development of shadows throughout the day. Prefabricated L-shaped elements form planting trays and together with vertical climbing ropes they create a unique microclimatic shield. Furthermore they provide a natural shadow in the hot summer months, representing climatic and structural physical advantages.
