Austro-Control

Competition, Vienna (AT), 2015

Intention and urban planning
The building sculpture is formally developed from the triangular layout of the property: a very memorable, elegant figure develops great character in the district. Simple lines characterize the large shape, and the curved glass facade reflects surprising details from the surroundings in detail. The narrow sides open downwards as an entrance lobby on the one hand, and upwards towards the sky on the other. AUSTRO CONTROL has a symbolic view of the sky and the airport. The shape of the skyscraper achieves a threefold optimization: 1.) Maximization of the floor plan areas by overhanging it towards the eastern highway, 2.) Optimization of the wind conditions at height by slimming the building to the main wind direction and 3.) Minimizing the shading of the neighboring buildings while maximizing the building height.

Development, two identities
The high-rise building is visible from afar at the end of Schnirchgasse with a 94 m high façade slot. The entrance lobby is located on a rectangular forecourt that opens onto the alley. The lobby expands into a 94 m high sky garden with hanging plants that span several floors. Behind the entrance, the two main users are spread over two levels: One user remains on the ground floor, the other user reaches the 1st floor via escalators or two elevators, which also serve the underground parking areas. The two tenants can be separated separately on both the ground floor and the 1st floor. This results in many advantages: 1.) With regard to isolation, no one from one user group can enter the elevators of the other user group as unwanted people. 2.) With the provided 4 twin elevators and a fire department elevator, up to 4 or 5 elevators can be accessed on both levels at the same time, i.e. a total of 9 cabins. 3.) By reducing the number of elevator shafts, the building cores on the floors can be extremely minimized. 4.) The twin elevators can be used optimally for inter-floor traffic within the respective rentals. The elevator vestibules are generously connected on each floor via four glazed entrances. The corridors on the floors mostly end at both ends of the building with a great view through the two Sky Gardens. If necessary, the meeting points or conference rooms are located in these large vertical air spaces. There is an exit into this large green air space alternately on every second floor at both ends of the building. The forecourt is enclosed on both sides by a separate two-story conference wing. The conference level on the 1st floor can optionally be reached via an external staircase; conference operations are possible independently of high-rise operations. The roof can be used internally as a roof garden or publicly via the ramp above the underground car park entrance.

Facades
The longitudinal facades are glazed over the entire surface. Window ventilation, external sun protection and impact windows are provided on all sides. The partially curved glass facades gradually become more and more graduated in curved lines. The facades facing the Danube Canal reflect the flowing (!) traffic and the green spaces from the canal into the large main facades. The narrow sides are vertically divided by highly plastic dark blue galvanized stainless steel pilaster strips.