Karlheinz Hora Hof with plenty of outdoor space and rooms for community

Handelskai, Austria

Photo © querkraft - hertha hurnaus

Conversions + Extensions

Architects: querkraft

Location: Handelskai 214A, 1020 Handelskai, Austria
Year: 2022
Team: Zsuzsanna Takacsy, Robert Haranza, Guillermo Alvarez, Irene Carles, Franziska Däuble, Magdalena Süss, Michael Voit, Johannes Zotter

The new social housing on handelskai offers high-quality living for existing and new residents. With slender building volumes and a continuous garden deck as a “fifth façade”, a modern and open living environment with a view of the danube is created for the entire neighborhood.
The activated wohngasse, which runs between the existing buildings and the new buildings, is both a connecting and structuring element for the entire complex. The shared outdoor space is accessed via generous open staircases. The 400m long green connecting platform offers communicative recreational zones and open spaces for lingering, exercising and gardening and improves the connection to the surrounding area.

Danube wave
The wave-like structure of the existing buildings is continued by the staggered heights of the seven new blocks. The intelligent positioning of these blocks guarantees sufficient light for the living areas in the buildings behind. The heights of the buildings are adapted to the existing stairwells.

Shelter
Perhaps the most striking feature of the new residential complex are the cantilevered loggias. These prefabricated concrete elements are attached to the north-western and south-eastern façades of each building. By tilting them, the view to the outside and into the private area is deliberately directed towards the danube. In this way, the outside space remains private and the special view receives the attention that this place requires.