Sergison Bates Architects > Urban Housing and Community Space, Nordbahnhof, Vienna

Fuente: Sergison Bates Architects
Fotografía: Sergison Bates Architects

Our building joins two others by von Balmoos Krucker and Werner Neuwirth to forma n intimate urban cluster. Located to the north east of Vienna the building creates a backdrop to the common courtyard to the south est and defines the southerly perimeter of a new landscape garden to the north east. From the courtyard, shared by all three buildings, the city is left outside the site boundary and yet by forming a pedestrian route through this space from the south west to the north west, it creates another sort of intermediary place which is offered back to the city.

Entry to the building is from this space via an external loggia in the corner into a covered entrance hall. Adjacent to this, and opening both to the courtyard and the landscaped garden to the east, is a children’s room. Other associated activities are grouped around such laundry and pram store. The room may also become useful for other communal activities organized by residents.

Apartaments are organized round a central daylit communal stair hall and entered via a second private hall which serves as an important transition space between the more public world and the intimacy of the home. Apartment sizes are mixed with the expectation that a wide variety of family types will occupy the building as in a diverse and mutually supportive neighbourhood. Each home has a loggia closely connected to the kitchen and living and dining areas and balcony which mau be accessed from bedrooms. The loggia feels like an open-sided room with the potential to be used during many parts of the year.

Most apartments have a dual aspect and some higher ceilings of 3.2m in the living rooms. 40% of apartments have a change in level which provides variety and unique character to individual homes. The layout of steps within all apartments is designed to be easily modified to provide wheelchair acces.

Split-level apartments for larger families or communal households are arranged on the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th floors and a shared rooftop terrace is arranged facing south. This may be used as a communal allotment and outside eating area.

The external expression of the building is of a stuccoed volume in a pigmented colour with a coarse texture. Large openings on the upper floors, of equal size and spacing, are formed for both loggias and windows. Smoother stuccoed reveals, soffits and side returns reshape the opening in detail and provide the necessary fire protection between apartments. The ground floor has a different expression and is of precast concrete panels, beams and posts. It’s misalignment with the upper parts of the building creates an appropriately defined podium expression and identifies the entrance to this urban house.