1st price EU-wide open competition

Wohnen im SÜSS is a social housing project located in Vienna, Austria. A total of 123 apartments spread across an area of 9.500m² within two buildings.

The predefined masterplan was sensibly developed further regarding the layering of building heights. Thus, the quarter’s silhouette is revived, more two-sided oriented apartments are possible, shielded rooftop areas in between higher building-parts provide attractive and diverse lingering areas and lastly the flow of winds throughout the quarter is improved.

The concentration of the garage underneath the buildings represents an essential part for a climate-oriented quarter with a blue-green infrastructure. 

Courtyards remain above natural soil, offering a network of courtyards with trees for natural shadow. 

Natural light is being carried through vertical light columns to spread throughout staircases and corridors. Creating bright common zones with overhead natural lighting, central corridors provide high efficiency use of area, while in combination with open corridors leading to divers and eclectic apartment typologies.

Open for any use, ateliers for working and living, a cluster of apartments with a common “living room, as well as apartments for single parents add to a versatile and flexible mix of apartment-offerings.

Balconies with canvas blinds and construction for greening are placed across the façade to create an ensemble with both a suspenseful depth-effect and a playful development of shadows throughout the day.

A structure for greening on the façade is placed in front of balconies, which are organized in a chess pattern. Greenery grows from natural soil on ground level, as well as from planters on every balcony, which are part of each prefabricated balcony-element.

With a depth of 2 meters these balconies form a constructed sun-protection, as canvas blinds are added for additional shielding from the low western sun on the south-east and south-west facades.