Vienna – Development Area D
Texture and the urban landscape
The overall concept in terms of town planning is a permeable, robust urban texture that extrapolates from the neighboring municipal structure from the 1870s, yet continues and reinterprets this – as well as its own – typology of block perimeter development: The traditional “rue corridor” road space is transformed into a flowing urban landscape.
Surprise and urban comfort
The relationships of the paths and viewing axes on the three perimeters, with their 1870s – style influence, are drawn into the new urban quarter, where they interweave into a characteristic public spatial complex of high quality. This is accomplished by slight rotations of the individual blocks.
Streets transition into squares dominated by pedestrians and without road markings, views are stopped, movements diverted – a sensible balance of surprise, guidance and comfort significantly shapes the new cityscape.
The design provides a new and different quality of public space while simultaneously seamlessly aligning itself with the traditional urban space of the surroundings. The balanced quantity of “accustomed” and new spatial impressions will inspire the residents to undertake a different type of behavior with public spaces without feeling uncomfortable and unfamiliar in their new environment.
All images: © Jörg Wessendorf + Atelier Loidl
