kempelen
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The new quarter is composed of three urban design elements: The base building takes up the existing street alignments and closes the edge of the block. The free-standing solitaires on top of it are in dialogue with each other and with the existing urban space. The urban space of the promenade creates a green axis between the station and the city park and thus opens up new development possibilities for the railway station area.
OPEN SPACE
The principles of the overarching open space concept are implemented on the construction site. The forest and park edge to the south and east are designed as a small forest playground, hosting the children’s and youth playground. Additional open areas above the embedded track and along the path at the railway line offer seating, outdoor gardens, and generous ceiling heights. The courtyard with terraces serves as the green core of the building, featuring greenery for a pleasant climate. A communal terrace on the 8th floor provides a beautiful view over the city and various usage possibilities.
BASE BUILDING
The main entrance of the building is located on the first floor at Quellenstraße. A spacious foyer leads to the main foyer, housing all public and semi-public facilities of the base zone as well as the vertical main access of the building. An open staircase with airspace connects the foyer to the café and event area on the ground floor. An additional entrance at ground level in the eastern area provides access to the bicycle storage room and a separate vertical access to the residential levels. The community spaces on levels 2 and 3 are primarily for the residents and, together with the adjacent terraces and outdoor areas, form the green ground of the courtyard, serving as a protected retreat.
ADDITIONAL USAGE
From the 2nd floor upwards, the residential units are located, arranged in a consistent basic structure across the levels. This structure is clearly evident on levels 4 to 7, while on levels 2 and 3 it is reduced due to the volume being cut back in the areas required to be kept free according to the development plan for public passage along the railway line and the embedded track. From the 8th floor onwards, only the northern part of the building with the main and emergency staircases is raised to a height of 35 meters. In the 9th floor, residential use is reduced to 3 units. Office uses are planned for the remaining area, connected by an internal staircase to the 10th floor, which is also used for offices. There are additional communal areas and a seminar area, with views in all directions
APARTMENTS
The apartments have a depth of 10 meters and are arranged linearly along the west, north, and east facades. Smaller units are placed in a clear orthogonal system, while larger multi-room apartments are situated at the corners for better lighting. The smaller units are spatially connected and offer three areas: entrance, sleeping, and living. All apartments have a narrow balcony-extended loggia band.
CONSTRUCTION
The structure consists of a concrete frame construction with 22 cm thick reinforced concrete slabs and prefabricated centrifuged concrete columns. Lightweight partition and exterior walls significantly reduce vertical loads. The construction method meets all requirements for ecology, economy, and load-bearing capacity, offering maximum flexibility for future conversions.
Competition
Address: Am Kempelenpark A4, 1100 Vienna
Program: Competition entry for the realization of a new residential building with mix use
approximately 16.000 m² GFA
Consultants: teamgmi, Werkraum Ingenieure, B-LAB
Team: Maria Pernegger, Lisa Lamberty, Helmuts Kaugers
Planning Period: August – October 2023
