EUROPAN EUROPA     LINKS      KONTAKT      IMPRESSUM      FAQ´s
 

Schwechat

Altitude
162 m
Population
15.494
District
Alanova


















BETRACHTUNGSGEBIET / STUDY AREA
23.5 ha
BAUGEBIET / INTERVENTION AREA
8,2 ha
ERSTE BAUPHASE / FIRST BUILDING PHASE
2,2 ha
ZWEITE BAUPHASE / SECOND BUILDING PHASE
6,0 ha

THEME
Making use of the potential of an inner-city “extension” within an old town, together with the improvement of the infrastructure and the space’s urban quality, are the main issues. By dealing with existing structures that open up to the city (abandoned brewery) inner barriers should be overcome in order to revitalize the dilapidated ground-floor areas along the Wienerstrasse. Above all, the question of time and strategic development issues is of main importance. The resulting development pressure and dynamics should be consciously addressed and considered as a main goal.

CONURBATION
The City of Schwechat is located on the south-eastern edge of Vienna. The city limit between Vienna and Schwechat is not visible anymore, due to the strong urbanization. It is a quite rich community, because important infrastructures and companies like the OMV (petrol refinery), the brewery Schwechater and the international airport of Vienna are located there. The proximity to Vienna as well as to Bratislava turns Schwechat with its airport into a position of growing international importance. Geographically the Danube forms the northern fringe of the city and provides a national park which can be seen as a counterpoint to the industries. In the South and East the urban area “ends” as a gradual transition towards a flat agricultural landscape. The construction of a ring road (completion 2006) will create a strong relieve for the whole inner-city area and upgrade the local qualities.

SITE
The site of the competition has raised important urbanistic questions during the last years.
Due to restructuring the company, the brewery now disposes of large vacant areas on their site, including vaults in the basement as former beer storage. This opens up a unique chance for the City of Schwechat to develop a density within the inner city, along with structural improvements. Apart from the abandoned industrial areas of the brewery, there is a sensible topic of how to react to tendencies of dilapidation of the ground floor areas (partly empty stores, partly abandoned farmhouses) of the Wienerstraße due to high traffic density along the B10 highway. Both aspects should be considered together in the competition.

PROGRAMME
Since the City of Schwechat bought some sites along the Wienerstraße and since it can dispose of the site of the brewery now, a unique chance for a programmatic restructuring of Alanova as the western part of the City of Schwechat opens up. Apart from conventional housing there should also be offered temporary housing, hotels etc. for possible users from the airport. New concepts of housing can be developed, together with creating additional attractions like a fitness centre, small restaurants, a bistro, and maybe a small supermarket.

ISSUES

social/functional
Main focus of the mixed use area is the social and spatial compatibility as well as the process of change. As an opened up enclave which has been abandoned since decades the future development intervenes strongly in the spatial logics of the small town. The city hopes that the new availability of the site will solve the actual fragmentation of its different areas.

sensitive
The city looks for a careful relationship between existing and new structures. The basements of the brewery have created a landscape on the site which has to be considered. In general, the design of the outdoor spaces should support and initiate the transformation of the site.

sustainability/emissions
The whole planning area is strongly affected by the noise of the airplanes. The preferred air approach of the airplanes from Northwest should be taken into consideration for the housing concept. Also the contaminations due to programs and traffic should be considered critically. As a long term issue the heavy traffic forms a main topic. As well the inner connections shall be exploited as revitalizing conditions for a partly dilapidated economy.


 © 2005 Europan Österreich, Haus der Architektur Graz, Engelgasse 3 - 5, 8010 Graz, Austria