aspern airfield...omising the political intention to further the partnership-based development of a...

The visionary development of the city

quarter Aspern in Vienna’s 22nd munici-

pal district Donaustadt is emblematic

of the future-oriented positioning of

Vienna. Over the next 20 years, a for-

ward-looking city of the 21st century will

emerge on the biggest area earmarked

for urban development across Vienna’s

entire municipal territory.

Dr. Michael HäuplMayor of the City of Vienna

ASPERN AIRFIELD MASTER PLAN

Urbanity and high quality of life – these will be the

hallmarks of the new, multifunctional city quarter,

which is to offer attractive housing options, jobs,

a modern range of shopping and service facilities as

well as an innovative science and education campus

of supra-regional importance. Spacious green zones,

an attractive environment for commerce and industry,

social, leisure, recreational and cultural facilities,

efficient connections to the traffic and public trans-

port systems (Underground, road network) and

vicinity to major recreational areas “just around the

corner” are key characteristics of this location.

02 / Aspern Airfield master plan Executive summary

THE VIENNA-BRATISLAVA AXIS

Urban centres

BRATISLAVA

Condensed urban area

Contiguous development zones

Settlement axes

Regional development axes

ROLE OF THE NEW CITY QUARTER FOR VIENNA AND ITS REGION

Because of its size of approx. 240 hectares, Aspern Airfield –formerly an airport, later an extension area for a factory manufac-turing engines and gearboxes – harbours enormous potential fordevelopment:

The enlargement of the European Union has pushed Viennafrom the geopolitical periphery into a central position with histor-ically evolved good-neighbourly relations and huge economicgrowth potential. The CENTROPE logo has become a symbol epit-omising the political intention to further the partnership-baseddevelopment of a region extending over several EU Member States.

In this context, too, Aspern Airfield has become an importantstrategic area for Vienna’s urban development, which is reflectedin the focuses defined by the Vienna Urban Development Plan2005 (STEP 05), which identifies the target area U2 Do-naustadt/Aspern Airfield as one of 13 hot spots of urbandevelopment. With a view to the future significance of the easternregion, the former airfield fulfils two key roles as a developmentlocation:

The creation of an urban focus along the train line to Bratislavais to exploit the opportunity of fostering a regional partnershipwith high economic potential and a wealth of win-win optionsalong the Vienna-Bratislava axis.

The development of an attractive urban centre characterised byshort distances between all of its vital functions, vibrant inter-action with its environs and clear prioritisation of publictransport is to markedly improve the provision of services andfacilities in the north-eastern part of Vienna and will trigger animpulse for sustainable growth in the region.

VIENNA REGION

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03

REGIONAL STRATEGIES FOR THE LANDSCAPE

Vienna and Bratislava do not only boast a shared history but arealso linked by the Danube, the Danube Floodplains National Parkand the vast cultivated Marchfeld plain. The wetlands of theDanube are the last big, largely untouched riparian floodplains inCentral Europe.

In economic location development, any strategy striving for fu-ture sustainability will assign an essential role to the safeguardingand further evolution of landscapes, which hence become thebasis for the sustainable improvement of quality of life.

The landscape management strategy for the Aspern Airfieldproject involves the surrounding green expanses into planning con-siderations and shapes, strengthens and extends them right intothe built-up zones.

TRAFFIC STRATEGIES FOR THE NORTH-EAST OF VIENNA

The urban development push for the former airfield is closely con-nected to the planned upgrading of the road and rail links in thenorth-eastern part of Vienna. The extension of the U2 Undergroundline, the stepping-up of the Marchegg branch (an eastbound re-gional train line) as well as the construction of the north-easternbypass road (S1) and the extension of the A23 motorway will sig-nificantly improve the accessibility of and links to this region.These rail and road projects were defined in the Transport MasterPlan Vienna 2003 as short- to medium-term ventures. In 2003,the strategic environmental assessment SUPerNOW once moreprovided clear evidence of the importance of these traffic andtransport projects for north-eastern Vienna as well as for the en-tire Vienna-Bratislava region. The current time schedule for thefour projects envisages respective completion dates between 2012and 2015.

Journey times from Aspern Airfield train station

Lines from Aspern Airfield

train station to journey times

U2 Praterstern 18 minutes

Schottentor 25 minutes

Karlsplatz 30 minutes

St. Stephen’s Square (U2/U1) 27 minutes

S80 Vienna Main Station 23 minutes

Vienna-Meidling station 29 minutes

Ostbahn regional

train line Vienna Main Station 17 minutes

Bratislava Main Station 34 minutes

Intercity Bratislava Main Station 28 minutes

DANUBE FLOODPLAINS NATIONAL PARK

... The former airfield is the

core zone of one of the 13 target

areas identified in the Vienna Urban

Development Plan STEP 05 and

will evolve along the Vienna-Bratislava

axis into an international point of

attraction and hub for economy,

science and research in the cross-

border CENTROPE region ...

DI Rudi Schicker, Executive City Councillor for Urban Development, Traffic and Transport

VIENNA REGION

ENVIRONMENT AND CITIZENS


Orthophotograph: MA 41 – Surveyors, aerial flight:Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying

THE NEW CITY WILL ALSO PLEASE ABUTTERS

The surroundings of the former airfield are characterised by widelandscapes and open spaces, but also by a near lack of the nec-essary infrastructure. The population living on-site will obviouslybe affected by the urbanistic development of the area to a veryhigh degree. Involving these citizens in the upcoming projects, ifpossible even before the start of the actual planning work, wastherefore a special concern for planners and political decision-makers alike.

Collecting input together with the citizens. In March 2004, thehouseholds in the area surrounding the former airfield were mailedinformation folders containing a questionnaire. The folders servedthe twofold purpose of providing comprehensive information onthe one hand and learning about the worries and concerns of abut-ters, discussing these and integrating thus articulated needs intothe plans on the other hand.

... For the 22nd municipal district

Donaustadt, the development of

the former airfield constitutes the

highpoint so far of a process that

started with the Donaucity project

and since has entailed steady

growth and permanent evolution

of this district ...

Norbert Scheed, head of the Municipal District Office for the 22nd District

05

ENVIRONMENT, CITIZENS

WORKSHOP-STYLE EXHIBITION

Event at the secondary school Heustadelgasse – “local experts”.In April 2004, the findings were presented and discussed at apublic event. Upgrading public transport, prioritising pedestriansand cyclists, avoiding short cuts through the surrounding commu-nities – these were the key topics addressed at the event.Suggestions were collated, discussed and defined as frame condi-tions for the planning process.

Moreover, three “local experts” were chosen in the context ofthe school event. These persons live near the former airfield; theirknowledge of and close ties to the area enabled them to provideadditional input for the planning process to enhance practicaleveryday use of the future city quarter. They monitored furtherplanning steps, participated in the drafting of the tender docu-ments for the planning team selection procedure and also sat onthe evaluation commission as voting members. After conclusion ofthe procedure, they were involved in actual master plan develop-ment and thus directly influenced the ongoing discussions.

Workshop-style exhibition – citizens have a say. After the firsturbanistic draft for the master plan had been submitted in May2006, it was presented together with the transport and traffic pro-jects for the area and discussed with the project team, master plandevelopers and traffic experts. Interest in the projects showcasedwas great; moreover, local inhabitants’ ideas and proposals couldlikewise be articulated and suggested on-site. In June 2006, anadditional citizens’ meeting on developments for Aspern Airfieldwas organised, which in due course led to several workshops tofine-tune further action.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING

By providing precise evaluation and optimisation, the Aspern Air-field master plan created a basis for the emergence of uses,buildings and public spaces whose barrier-free design, multifunc-tionality and high degree of differentiation meet the specific needsand requirements of different population groups. Of course, thisprocess does not stop with the adoption of the master plan but willbe continued throughout all implementation phases.

EVENT AT SECONDARY SCHOOL HEUSTADELGASSE

… This is the opportunity of the new

millennium for our city to generate

not only political capital, but also to

show understanding for citizens by

providing them with sustainable

quality of life. A committed change

in paradigms favouring public trans-

port over motorised private car traffic

is urgently called for.

Our key contribution to the master

plan was to make sure that the

protection of the current and future

inhabitants of the area will be given

heightened attention. We expect

that this example of project co-

operation will be implemented and

thus remain an inspiration for gener-

ations to come…

Barbara Boll, Karl Haas and WolfgangPollak – “Local experts”, the citizens involved in master plan development


WORKSHOPJOHANNES TOVATT, CLAUDIA NUTZ(DEVELOPMENT COMPANY)

SKETCHES, AUTUMN 2005

ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE MASTER PLAN

Stable quality for flexible development. The development of theformer airfield as laid down in the master plan will extend over sev-eral decades. Obviously, such a protracted period of time mayentail changes in economic and social frame conditions that areimpossible to predict today; in their turn, these turnabouts maylead to fundamental changes in the objectives of development pol-icy. For this reason, the urbanistic concept must be able to respondto such changes without losing its essential qualities.

The master plan offers proof positive of the fact that a multi-functional urban structure combining different architectures anduses with high-quality public green and open spaces can be cre-ated on this site. Qualities and potentials of key zones endowingthe new city quarter with its unique identity are visualised and de-fined. The traffic and transport system as outlined connects thecity quarter smoothly to the high-level networks, above all of pub-lic transport. All road and transport users and all transport modesare to be provided with a clearly structured and attractive networkof communication lines intersecting the project area and its envi-rons.

The master plan is only the beginning. It should be understood asa starting-point for planning that can and will be further detailed,complemented and evolved in the future, thereby serving as a basis

MASTER PLAN AND URBANISTIC SELECTION PROCEDURE

...Our ambition has been to provide

a master plan that creates public

spaces that are fundamental human,

lively, intimate and secure...

Johannes Tovatt, Architect

07

URBANISTIC PROCEDURE

SOLUTION PROPOSAL – PROCEDURE

EVALUATION COMMISSION, NOVEMBER 2005

…today we are striving

for a city that offers more

than mere functional quality.

Towards this goal, public space is

the central element of design,

as it is the criterion that decides

whether people feel at home

in their city and identify with it …

OPINION OF THE EVALUATION COMMISSION:

Overall impression of urbanistic unity

Individual topography within the wider environs

Clearly structured and accessibly sizedurban parameters convey a sense of scale,cohesion and congruence

Willingness to engage in a dialogue withneighbouring city quarters, far-reaching consideration of abutters’ interests, possibilities of integrating the environs

Optimum orientation of the central greenspace towards the Danube Floodplains National Park, internal networking with the urban microstructure

Two centres – i.e. “train station” and “central park” as the “green heart” of the project – stimulate urban life and a mix of different forms of land use

Sturdy, but flexibly usable road network

High potential of development options

and orientation for land use and development plans, fine-tuningwith other plans and projects as well as quality agreements, butalso for the marketing and evaluation of the location and its spe-cial qualities.

SELECTION OF THE PLANNING TEAM

Starting from the basic principles of the airfield development pro-gramme, a two-tier procedure was employed to select a team fordrafting the master plan.

In the first stage of the tender, bidding syndicates from acrossthe entire EU were invited to submit their relevant experience andproject track record in order to qualify for participation in theawarding procedure.

In the second stage, ten selected bidding syndicates were in-vited to prepare solution proposals for the urbanistic developmentof the former airfield and to submit these together with bids forthe drafting of the master plan.

An international evaluation commission composed of experts,land owners, political decision-makers and local residents ap-praised the bids submitted. In the end, the contract was awardedto the Swedish studio Tovatt Architects & Planners in co-operationwith the German project developer N+ Objektmanagement.

Prof. Carl Fingerhuth, chairman of the evaluation commission

CONCEPT

Overall urbanistic structure. Cities are perceived through theirpublic spaces. Consequently, emphasis must be placed on the de-sign and practical usability of urban space. As an urbanistic whole,a city is composed of buildings, streets, squares and parks. Theplan elements – ring road, boulevards and other axes – determinethe visual readability and identity of space.

The small-scale block structure allows for simple, rapid move-ment through urban space. Walking and cycling are made easy,pleasant and practical. Alongside the measures taken to promotenon-motorised traffic, the objective is to maximise the use of pub-lic transport as an alternative to private car use. Every new cityquarter of comparable dimensions and in a similar location needsa sustainable traffic and transport concept to serve the area andits environs efficiently.

Interactions with the environs. The future success of this develop-ment area will be highly dependent on its interactions with thesurrounding spaces: open landscapes, cultivated areas, the com-munities of Aspern and Essling and recreational zones. The cityemerging on the former airfield can only become part of a greaterwhole if it is integrated into the surroundings throughout all devel-opment phases. The radial structure supports basic connectivityvia streets, paths and visual interrelationships but also via keylandscape linkages.


VIEW ACROSS THE LAKE

CONCEPT AND STRUCTURE

DEFINING ELEMENTS OF THE ASPERN AIRFIELD MASTER PLAN

A23 MOTORWAY

TRAIN STATION, S-BAHN LINE S80 (SUB-

URBAN TRAIN), UNDERGROUND LINE U2

STATION SQUARE

STRUCTURE:

Northern quarter and train station

Green heart

Ring road

Industrial zones

Science and education campus

Superblocks

Green space

SHOPPING STREET

RING ROAD

CENTRAL PARK

SOUTHERN UNDERGROUND STATION

UNIVERSITY SQUARE

GREEN SPACE

09

CONCEPT, STRUCTURE

KEY STRUCTURE-CREATING ELEMENTS OF THE OVERALL CONCEPT

Northern quarter, station and shopping street. The train, Under-ground, tram and bus hub at the northern edge of the planningarea provides for an attractive range of public transport optionsand thus interlinks all big transport projects in the north-easternpart of the region. This hub function is a key element of the ur-banistic design that will improve localmobility far beyond the former air-field per se. A spacious forecourtlined by large-scale buildings unfoldsin front of the southern station exit.As a counterweight to the “greenheart” and linked to it by a vibrantshopping street, the station square isconceived as a dynamic focus for theentire area.

The green heart and its extensions tothe east and west. The central parkwith its large lake is one of the mostimportant design elements. Streets,footpaths, cycling tracks and the longand narrow parks are all oriented to-wards this vital public point. Variedurban uses and significant buildingsalong the northern and north-easternlakeshore provide an attractive end-point for the shopping street leadingup to the station.

Ring road. The ring road is another key element of the spatial struc-ture embodied in the plan. It links all main access roads to thearea and emphasises the radial network of secondary streets andgreened, interconnected footpaths. The ring road creates a circu-lar corridor running between the centre dominated by the park andthe project’s periphery. In this way, large sections of the develop-ment zone become visible from the ring road. Its vicinity to allimportant functions will make it a prime distribution and supplyartery in the “metabolism” of urban life in the new city quarter.

Industrial zones. The eastern sections of the planning area wereearmarked for commercial and industrial use. The detailed shapethe projects will take is strongly dependent on the concrete re-quirements of the future tenant companies. The master plan thusonly defines basic principles and leaves sufficient leeway for ac-tual uses and architectural developments.

Fundamentally, the industrial zones are to be characterised bylow, large-scale structures. In view of the location of these build-ings along the ring road and at key access points to the city quarter,however, various design principles must be observed in severalspots to safeguard the desired high quality of public space.

Science and education campus. At the southern exit from theUnderground terminal, space was earmarked for a science, re-search and education campus. Since the detailed requirements ofits future users are as yet unknown, the master plan contains onlygeneral indications regarding the volumes, block structures andpublic spaces of this section.

SOUTH-WESTERN VIEW OF MODEL (PHOTO)

SHOPPING STREET – THE CENTRAL AXIS LINKING

THE TWO UNDERGROUND STATIONS


CENTRAL PARK

SECTION, LINE OF SIGHT TOWARDS UNDERGROUND STATION

CENTRAL PARK

GREEN AND OPEN SPACES

OUTSTANDING GREEN AND OPEN SPACE QUALITY

Green spaces are a crucial element and identifier of Aspern Air-field. Since the new city quarter is to assume an urban characterand at the same time offer outstanding quality of green and openspaces, it was imperative to find the right balance between largelynatural landscapes, urban parks, roads and squares. The intentionwas to create a clearcut hierarchy and distinctiveness of private,semi-public and public green and open spaces in order to providean overarching orientation system and ensure a great variety ofopen space uses as planned while avoiding conflicts between dif-ferent user groups.

GREEN AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENTS

Open spaces shared with existing communities. The two big greencorridors west and east of the former airfield are key elements ofthe superordinate green space concept of the City of Vienna(“Green Belt Vienna”).

Given the location at the interface between Marchfeld plain andDanube banks, it is imperative to link the Danube Floodplains Na-tional Park and the land around the Lobau wetlands to the “greenbackbone” north of the former airfield.

These large-scale, publicly accessible green zones serve a spe-cial connecting function and offer room for recreation and leisureto the local population of today and tomorrow. For pedestrians andcyclists, the routes crossing the green corridors will blend directlyinto the axes intersecting the former airfield. Additional corridorsare available for public transport.

Central park. The central park with its large body of water is of par-ticular importance for the green network of Aspern Airfield.Streets, footpaths, cycling tracks and the long and narrow parksare all oriented towards this vital public point.

11

GREEN SPACES

LOCAL GREEN LINKS

WESTERN GREEN CORRIDOR

HAMMARBY SJÖSTAD, STOCKHOLM

The north-western and north-eastern lakeside zones with theirspecifically urban character relate closely to the adjoining, morecondensed structures. Ample lakeside promenades with kiosksand open-air cafés as well as pubs and restaurants invite passers-by to take a leisurely stroll or beckon for a pleasurable stay.

To the south, the central lake is bordered by a flat shore sec-tion with spacious lawns. Zones with denser plant growth directlyby the water’s edge facilitate self-purification of the water bodyand offer an animal habitat and retreat that is complemented byseveral small islands set in the lake. In some spots, the sun-bathing lawns directly touch the water’s edge.

The lake is groundwater-fed. To create a harmonious transi-tion from the water body to the surrounding parks and built-upareas, the terrain level around the lake will be lowered in itsentirety.

Green network of Aspern Airfield. A dense network of green andopen spaces structures and permeates the new city quarter. In ad-dition to the primary west-east link and the central parkembedded therein, the long, narrow parks and green corridorsdotting the streetscape – but also small neighbourhood parks atkey nodal points – constitute important elements of the urbanstructure.

Spaces for movement and encounter. Aspern Airfield offers a widerange of variously dimensioned green and open spaces to moti-vate all residents as well as neighbours from the surroundingestates and communities to make use of an ample range of leisureoptions in public space.

The many squares and green corridors offer myriad possibili-ties for play and exercise. Trendy sports can be practised inprominent locations along the Underground lines, one examplebeing a big inline skating rink with streetball courts near theUnderground station by the lake.


ROAD TYPOLOGIES

STATION SQUARE

TRAFFIC AND TRANSPORT

Ring road, width: 32 m

Main access road, width: 27 m

Shopping street, variable width

Main street, along lakeshore/with watercourse

Avenues, width: 23 m and 28 m

Main street, width: 20 m

Side street, width: 17 m

Side street, width: 14 m

Side street, width: 12 m (one-way street)

Mixed-use area

MODAL SPLIT

The traffic system is based on the hook-up of the city quarter tothe public transport network (Underground, “Ostbahn” regionaltrain line, dense bus and tram network) – which will be outstand-ing, especially in the final construction phase –, on direct links tothe surrounding communities for pedestrian and cycling trafficand on efficient connection to the high-level road network to thenorth.

UNDERGROUND LINE U2

The Underground enters the former airfield from the north-west-ern direction. The Airfield North (“Flugfeld Nord”) station is animportant hub between the Underground and the Austrian FederalRailways’ regional train line “Ostbahn” on the one hand and therequired tram and bus lines on the other hand and moreover servesas a vital interchange point from private car to public transport.

To prevent the Underground line from becoming a physical bar-rier intersecting the area, it will run on an elevated track afterpassing the station. The second station, Airfield South (“FlugfeldSüd”), is situated on the lakeside, adjacent to the planned sciencecampus, and offers access to the centre of the new quarter. Fromthere, Vienna’s city centre can be reached by public transport injust over 20 minutes

NON-MOTORISED TRAFFIC

The Aspern Airfield master plan prioritises pedestrian and cyclingtraffic. Lines of trees, greened strips und lively ground-floor zonesare to ensure a high standard of public space design. Covered pas-sageways, too, are planned. In addition to the road network, thegreen space structure creates a dense network of car-free, greenedroutes that beckon for relaxation and leisure activities in the im-

A23 layout and junctions to be fine-tuned with ASFINAG

13

TRAFFIC, TRANSPORT

SPLIT-LEVEL CAR PARK

MAIN STREET

MAIN STREET ALONG LAKESHORE

mediate vicinity of the residential units. The green corridors to thewest and east will link the former airfield with its environs, theDanube Floodplains National Park and the Marchfeld plain bymeans of numerous footpaths and cycling tracks. As the highestlocal terrain elevations, green crossings provide attractive vantagepoints.

ROAD SYSTEM

The A23 motorway passes north of Aspern Airfield; its precise rout-ing will be determined in consultation with the road constructioncompany ASFINAG. Two A23 junctions function as the main linksconnecting the private motorised traffic of Aspern Airfield to theroad network. Moreover, the area is linked to the district road net-work by means of local streets.

The ring road is a key structural element of the Aspern Airfieldmaster plan. It is the basis for the distribution and internal circu-lation of all traffic modes and connects all road types within thecity quarter.

The two streets leading from the ring road to the lake are de-signed as traffic-calmed accessways.

Car parks. The parking space management concept outlined in themaster plan provides for shifting most private-car parking slots tounderground car parks. However, the high groundwater level com-plicates the construction of such car parks. For this reason, it isproposed to build garages lowered by only approx. 2 m (as com-pared to terrain level) inside the residential blocks, with greenedinterior courtyards covering the car park roofs. This split-level so-lution allows for spacious street-front ground-floor zones.

A park-and-ride facility with a capacity of up to 1,500 slots willaccommodate the function of the future Flugfeld Nord station asan interchange hub and contribute essentially towards minimisingmotorised vehicle traffic across the Danube.

The development of a city quarter that is to assume a central func-tion due to its rich range of services and shopping facilities callsfor urban volumes and corresponding scales. In spots where urbanvariety is the goal, the function and design of buildings must in-terlock closely with public space. Objectives such as vibrancy,short distances and a balanced social tissue presuppose a high de-gree of mixed uses embedded in a sturdy, flexible spatial structure.

Housing. The focus of residential buildings primarily extends tothe south and west of the shopping street and presents close linksto the central park and western green corridor. Shops meeting thedemand of these residential zones are to be located in speciallydesignated ground-floor premises. One particular concern of themaster plan is to allow for a share of residential units in as manyzones of the city quarter as possible, as this triggers increased vi-tality throughout the entire day.

Schools and kindergartens – social infrastructure. The master planonly defines the purpose and location of those social infrastruc-


BUILT STRUCTURES: USES

USES

All uses except commercial and residential

All uses except commercial

Science campus

Research and development

Schools and kindergartens housed

in dedicated buildings

Commercial use

Residential use only

Residential use, flexible uses

for ground-floor level

Predominantly residential use,

flexible uses for all storeys

Special functions housed in dedicated storeys

Cultural facilities housed in dedicated buildings

Park-and-ride facility

15

USES

ture facilities that are to be built on speciallydedicated lots. These locations e.g. include acombined elementary and co-operative mid-dle school with attached six-group daycarenursery (D18) as well as another elementaryschool (F9), another co-operative middleschool (E8) and a general secondary school(D14). Moreover, two more locations werechosen for six-group daycare nurseries (F15,H10). All thus designated infrastructure loca-tions are situated in the immediate vicinity ofpublic transport stops and linked to greenspaces. Another 16 daycare nursery groupsintegrated into buildings serving other pur-poses complement the basic range of schoolsand kindergartens.

Due to its openness and differentiated set-up, the fundamental urbanistic structure iswell suited for providing attractive spaces andpremises for the remaining social infrastruc-ture facilities an urban city quarter must offerits inhabitants. Areas designed for flexibleuses can host larger cultural and leisure in-stallations such as an indoor swimming poolor a multifunctional event hall. Moderatelycondensed residential and mixed-use areasclose to spacious green zones are particularlywell suited for facilities providing care for theelderly. The space set aside for the sciencecampus also includes educational institu-tions for a broad public.

Offices and services, commerce andtrade. Since offices principally need to behoused in prime locations, the master planprovides for the construction of office build-ings mainly on lots in the immediate vicinityof the Underground stations.

Trade, personal services, restaurants andcafés, entertainment venues, but also socialand cultural functions should be architec-turally integrated and open up towards publicspace as far as possible. Passageways, arca-des, awnings and canopies enrich the street-scape.

The biggest concen-tration of commercialuses is to evolve alongthe shopping street be-

tween train station and lake. Industrial usesrequiring special buildings, halls and largesurfaces will be mainly located along theeastern periphery of the former airfield, closeto the existing feeder track of the GeneralMotors plant.

Cultural facilities. The master plan principallyrefrains from singling out lots for cultural fa-cilities, since such locations and structuresmust fulfil a great variety of requirements: thespectrum is to range from high-level art gal-leries and cultural facilities of citywideimportance to workshops and rehearsal stu-dios.

Only the sites for a place of religious wor-ship (H4) and a smaller building for culturaluses on the shopping street (G6) were alreadydetermined in the master plan.

Science campus – research and development.By earmarking a lot for research and develop-ment, the project creates another locationwhere economy and research can co-operateactively in the Austrian capital. Essentialqualities of the science campus thus includethe possibility of networking with high-tech enterprises, a high degree of spatial flexibility, excellent public transport connections, urban infrastructure and an attractive, green environment.

DAYCARE NURSERYINTEGRATED INTORESIDENTIAL BUILDING

BUILDING HEIGHTS

The master plan does not prescribe precise building heights butrather lays down basic principles to define the interaction betweenhigher and lower volumes. Deliberate height differentiation is tocreate accents, emphasise specific spatial situations and produceurbanistic rhythms and dynamic spaces. Varied building heightsare moreover to yield private open spaces on the blocks’ rooftops.

High-rises as landmarks. A striking “gateway to Vienna” createdby different building heights is developed around the station to thenorth of the project area, resulting in a landmark that can be per-ceived and recognised even from far away. In the zone surroundingthe southern Underground station, high-rises housing offices andpublic facilities will likewise be built in the final project stage tosignal the particular character of this location.


BUILDING HEIGHTS AND DENSITIES

BUILDING HEIGHTS – STOREYS

1 – 3 storeys

3 – 5 storeys

4 – 7 storeys

6 – 9 storeys

8 – 12 storeys

10 + storeys

17

BUILDING HEIGHTS, DENSITIES

DIFFERENT BUILDING HEIGHTS,

KABELWERK, 1120 VIENNA

ARCHITECTS:

HERMANN & VALENTINY AND

WURNIG & KLJAJIC

Along the shopping street, the northernlakeshore and some sections of the ring road,buildings with six to nine, in some places eventwelve storeys underline the boulevard atmo-sphere of streetscapes and squares. Thecorners of the blocks, too, are often empha-sised by higher structures; crossings andchanges in direction are given particular at-tention.

The heights of residential buildings varyfrom two to seven storeys. To optimise lightincidence and provide for terraces and roofgardens, the building heights will be differen-tiated in the context of more detailed plans.

As a rule, the industrial areas will not fea-ture building heights exceeding two storeys.However, the fronts facing the ring road –which will contain a higher share of officepremises – will be designed as multi-storeystructures.

DENSITIES

The aimed-for urban structure essentially de-mands high building density. The objective ofattracting large numbers of persons and high-frequency uses to the immediate environs ofthe Underground stations likewise results inobvious key requirements to be met. Yet apartfrom these functional considerations, build-ing densities are to be deliberately staggeredto emphasise spaces and spatial sequences,structure the urban tissue and endow it withclear readability. In addition to building den-

sity, social density and social variety are fur-ther objectives. Towards this purpose, themaster plan provides for variation and con-trast. On an average, floorspace density (grossfloorspace in relation to net developmentarea) is approx. 2.2 for the entire former air-field.

Since the creation of condensed urbanstructures with central service and shoppingfacilities calls for correspondingly developeddemand, zones of particular density will onlybe built in later construction stages. However,dimensions of relevance for infrastructureand supply as well as urban structures are to be provided for already in the first phase.

STAGGERED BUILDING HEIGHTSGREENWICH MILLENIUM VILLAGE, LONDON

The master plan provides for four development stages from Phase 0to Phase 3. This numbering reflects the timescale for the precondi-tions required to implement the different construction phases: inorder to develop Phase 0, the established land classification (“in-dustrial area”) is sufficient, but a new land use and developmentplan must be drawn up for all subsequent stages; as a result, theseare numbered from 1 to 3. In defining these phases, the main ob-jective lay in developing sub-sections that with respect to theirvolumes and functions form logically delimited units.

Quality assurance. In the interests of the citizenry, it must be safe-guarded that the City of Vienna and the project developers will agreeon an implementation process for this large-scale urbanistic venturethat guarantees gradual, phased growth on the basis of specific pro-visions regulating both quality and quantity. Phased growth alsoallows for quality assurance, as the growth process will be monitoredby an expert panel. Special zones such as the central green space,station square, shopping street and education campus will be ex-amined in depth before implementation by recurring to qualityassurance processes such as competitions. The master plan offersa stable backbone for this purpose and encourages both flexibilitywithin its boundaries and fine-tuned responses to the real estatemarket and its frame conditions.

Phase 0. This phase makes sure that a variety of location-compati-ble uses will be speedily installed.

In keeping with the intended motto “green comes first”, the ini-tial measures concern green space design: this means that thePhase 1 construction lots are provided with new plants and thus en-dowed with visual appeal and experience value. A tree nursery will


DEVELOPMENT MILESTONES

PHASE 1

PHASE 3

PHASE 0

PHASE 2

RESIDENTIAL STREET

19

MILESTONES

be created as a sort of symbolic “project clock”: as the project pro-gresses, it will gradually disappear in favour of the newlyestablished green spaces and avenues lining the development area.In this phase, industrial and research facility zones are planned forthe south-eastern section of the former airfield.

Phase 1. The location of this construction lot in the south-westernpart of the development area was chosen becauseof the short distance to the future Underground sta-tion Aspernstrasse for pedestrians, cyclists and bususers. The zones around the lake and to the northrequire substantial shifts in terrain height and cantherefore only be occupied in later phases. However,the design of the central park is already anticipatedin Phase 1. The first residential buildings, shops foreveryday necessaries and a school are built; the cen-tre of the development will emerge around the park.It is planned to construct approx. 1,500 dwellingsin Phase 1.

Phase 2. The large-scale development of the formerairfield will begin with the service start-up of the U2Underground line and the construction work for theA23 motorway. The areas around the two hook-upsto the motorway provide development nuclei forcommercial and industrial uses to the east and thebasis for the emergence of an office district to thewest. The ring road and the diagonal crossing thecentral park lay the foundation for further develop-ments. The east-west axis is traced around thecentral park at the outset of this phase. This will per-mit capacity use of the U2 terminal as well as thedevelopment of the urban front facing the lake. Res-idential structures along the western lakeshore will follow. The education campus, too, will be constructed in this phase.

Phase 3. Since Phase 3 is the final and latest stage to be imple-mented, it allows for maximum flexibility in planning. Develop-ments can be adjusted or reinforced. The objective lies inoptimising the myriad mixed uses deployed in the former airfieldand its individual zones. The construction programme will be con-cluded with a complex mostly composed of residential buildingsand another school to the west and with an industrial-commercialzone to the east.

Quantity scale. In the final stage, a total of approx. 20,000 personswill live in the area of the former airfield; office and service jobsare to be created for close to the same figure, while the numberof workplaces in manufacturing companies will equal 6,000.

Phase

0

1

2

3

Sum total

Planned gross floorspace, broken down by types of use and phases*

Housing (gross floorspace)

-

231,820 sq m

363,520 sq m

239,770 sq m

835,110 sq m

Offices, shops, service facilities, companies (gross floorspace)

-

14,560 sq m

345,980 sq m

471,770 sq m

832,310 sq m

Industrial areas - not suitable for inte-gration (gross floorspace)

31,330 sq m

11,950 sq m

60,520 sq m

43,550 sq m

147,350 sq m

Social infrastructure(gross floorspace)

9,070 sq m

60,580 sq m

3,400 sq m

21,130 sq m

94,180 sq m

SHOPPING ARCADE EAST OF STATION SQUARE

*Additional floorspace forscientific and cultural fa-cilities as required (up to300,000 sq m)

Following the pioneer construction of industrial premises, the firstresidential development push will be launched in the south-west-ern part of the planning area. Due to its vicinity to the communityof Aspern, a smooth hook-up to the existing infrastructure networksis possible. Moreover, conflicts with later, large-scale ventures (ter-rain height modifications, construction of Underground line andmotorway, etc.) can most likely be avoided. The area will be linkedto the existing settlements and the U2 station Aspernstrasse (to beoperative by 2010) by means of the bus route “An den altenSchanzen” and the upgraded path and cycling track network. Thefirst road to cross the former airfield will connect Johann-Kutschera-Gasse with Gross-Enzersdorfer Strasse via a new accessroad east of the General Motors plant.

Due to its pioneering role, the development of this residentialarea must meet ambitious requirements. High-quality dwellings,an attractive environment and top-level shopping and serviceamenities must emerge here to signal the outstanding overall proj-ect standard.

A local centre for the environs. In addition to the provision of basicfacilities such as schools and kindergartens, a first centre functionmust emerge here concurrently with the first tenants moving intothe flats; apart from services for the local population, it should alsooffer options for a larger catchment area. In the initial years, themain street and main square are the first firmly defined locationsand will remain the local neighbourhood hub even after the big re-gional centre in the northern part of the development area has beencreated (shopping street and station area). A varied range of shops,


LIFE IN THE CENTRE

SOUTH-WESTERN QUARTER

SPECIAL ROLE OF THE FIRST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT PUSH

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SOUTH-WESTERN QUARTER

SOUTH-WESTERN GREEN CORRIDOR –LIVING BY THE WATER’S EDGE

services, restaurants, cafés and social facili-ties should generate a vibrant centre for thisquarter within a very short timeframe. Farfrom merely providing services to meet localdemand, the amenities are to attract a widerange of persons living outside this quarter, asthese persons currently do not dispose of suchfacilities in their vicinity.

A particularly interesting opportunity re-sults from the fact that not all constructionlots need to be used and built up from the be-ginning in the form they will finally take. Thisleaves room for temporary and experimentaluses, perhaps even involving parts of the for-mer runway.

Project input. A list of suitable ideas for thePhase 1 local centre is easy to compile merelyby imaginatively scanning the available pos-sibilities and can be implemented andexpanded at an early date by interested devel-opers, operators and entrepreneurial spirits inco-operation with the project developmentcompany: a “city house” with informationcentre, a development, construction and mar-keting office run by the airfield developmentcompany, an area management office, spacerented by field offices of authorities, a library,

premises for classes, courses or private func-tions; shops and service facilities, a marketsquare or market hall, kiosks, restaurants andcafés in pavilions housed in rented ground-floor premises lining the main square, mainstreet and lake; “Hangar 1” for cultural orleisure events and movie shows; schools withafternoon and recreational programmes,kindergartens, a student hostel; joggingtracks, meadows for playing and lounging,sports grounds, a sauna and wellness “vil-lage”, artists’ studios, workshops, an open-airstage/arena, lakeside promenades, ...


TOPOGRAPHY AND ENVIRONMENT

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TOPOGRAPHY

The central green space is to reflect the visualimpact of the Lobau wetlands. A lake of an av-erage depth of approx. 5 m will be situated inthe central park. The lake and most water-courses will be fed by groundwater.

Green crossings will be established toovercome the barriers created by traffic infra-structure in the northern part of thedevelopment area. The section between theA23 junctions will be elevated south of thetrain tracks. This terrain formation is compa-rable to the terraces typical of the Danubezone. The excavated material derived fromcreating the central park and the terrain low-ering planned for the surrounding zone will beused for backfilling the green crossings andtraffic surfaces.

ECOLOGY

Water balance of Aspern Airfield. Unlessneeded for flushing sewers, the precipitation

water generated on the surface occupied bythe former airfield is made to percolate intothe ground on-site. These leaching areas canbe designed in many different ways, rangingfrom gravel zones and drain channels to spa-cious biotopes that may also run dry at certainperiods.

Flora and fauna, habitats – compensationmeasures. At the moment, the project area ismostly farmland and presents an animal andplant stock typical of cultivated fields andmeadows. Yet the area is all but useless forthe local population; due to the lack of cross-ing paths, it acts as a barrier betweensettlements. Before initiating the masterplan, the core of the planning area was in factdestined for industrial or commercial uses, inkeeping with the established land classifica-tion.

With its networked green structures, thenew city quarter not only offers optimum ac-

HEIGHT CURVE

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TOPOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT

GREENWICH MILLENNIUM VILLAGE, LONDON

cess to its green spaces but also proposes newphysical links. The manifold structuring of thegreen zones gives rise to new habitats forplants and animals.

By creating the central lake and connect-ing it to an existing pond (“Himmelteich”),the objective of connecting separate bodies ofwater formulated in Vienna’s species andbiotope protection programme “Network Na-ture” is met. These large bodies of water aswell as other, smaller water bodies and wetbiotopes also provide new habitats for ani-mals and plants.

CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The urbanistic design and the principles ofthe master plan – short distances, mixeduses, construction types with low land con-sumption – contribute significantly towardsprotecting the environment.

Strategy 1:Avoiding motorised traffic. The traffic andtransport concept and the arrangement of theconstruction lots are designed to keep trips bycar to a minimum. Footpaths and cyclingtracks are attractive and safe. Highly efficientpublic transport stops are easy to reach andconnect the former airfield to important des-tinations across the entire municipal territoryand region. The dimensions and density of thenew city quarter allow for excellent supplywith goods and services on-site. A wide rangeof natural and leisure attractions is likewiseavailable.

Strategy 2:Energy-saving city quarter layout. To cut downon the energy consumption of buildings, anumber of optimisation measures were inte-grated into the planning documents. Theseinter alia include ample green spaces with

their positive effects on the microclimate,dense and compact built structures to avoidenergy losses, maximised energy efficiencydue to passive house standards, etc.

Strategy 3:Use of geothermal energy. Underground hot-water reservoirs are sited at a depth of approx.3,500 m below the former airfield. In view ofthe planned extensive construction activitiesfor the project area as well as new technolo-gies and scientific findings, a feasibility studywas carried out, indicating the economic via-bility of constructing a geothermal powerplant on or close to the planning site. If thisventure is indeed successfully implemented,a large part of the new city quarter’s energyrequirements for room and water heating (inwinter) and water heating and cooling (insummer) could be met by geothermal power.Even hotter reservoirs of water at a depth ofapprox. 5,000 m promise excellent powergeneration potential. In addition to generat-ing energy, the geothermal power projectwould also permit the establishment of a rel-evant research and enterprise focus

Strategy 4:Material management. Three large-scale ter-rain modifications entailing significant vol-umes of excavated material are required onthe site of the former airfield: the existingconcrete runway must be dismantled; thenegative effects of the big traffic structures atthe northern periphery of the site are to bemitigated by backfills and crossings; agroundwater lake with flat shore sections is toemerge at the centre of the new city quarter.Moreover, the construction of roads and build-ings likewise entails substantial haulagevolumes. The soil masses thus obtained are tobe managed as efficiently as possible to min-imise energy input and the emission of noiseand dust.

aspern airfield...omising the political intention to further the partnership-based development of a...

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