GRÜNDERZEIT TRIFFT GEGENWART

A Gründerzeit apartment block in the west of Vienna is currently being completely renovated. Not merely refurbished or overhauled — but thoroughly restored, with a distinct approach to both the existing structure and the extension.

A comprehensive refurbishment of the building’s infrastructure is currently underway: building services, energy efficiency and the quality of workmanship are being brought up to modern standards without compromising the building’s distinctive character. Solid wood doors in the traditional Viennese style, handcrafted wooden window sills, herringbone parquet flooring and fittings with classic profiles carry on the tradition that has defined this building for generations.

In the newly converted attic, the style is quite different: understated, clear, contemporary. Spacious units with electrically operated roof windows and private outdoor areas overlooking the city’s rooftops, complemented by single-plank oak flooring, smooth solid wood doors and natural aluminium fittings. A deliberate choice — the new is not meant to imitate the old, but to complement it.

From a technical perspective, the building was constructed with a consistent focus on the future. An air-source heat pump supplies the entire house via underfloor heating with individual room control: no gas connection, no fuel storage, no ongoing deliveries, and the same system can be used for cooling in summer. A newly installed passenger lift provides barrier-free access to all floors, whilst new steel balconies extend the living space outwards.

All around is a neighbourhood that has changed dramatically in recent years and is now one of Vienna’s liveliest residential areas — with a market, coffee houses, small pubs and a density of local amenities that has become a rarity. The underground and several tram lines are within walking distance, and the city centre can be reached in about a quarter of an hour.

It is this combination of respect for the existing structure and consistent expansion that defines the project.

The agent acts as a dual agent.

Hardly any other neighbourhood has changed as much as this one in recent years. What was long regarded as a purely working-class neighbourhood is now one of Vienna’s liveliest residential areas — mature, densely populated, with everyday life that can be managed on foot. The Brunnenmarkt starts practically on your doorstep: six days a week, fruit, vegetables, spices, fish and flowers. A few steps further on is Yppenplatz, a weekend meeting place for half of Vienna, with outdoor cafés, coffee houses and pubs you won’t find anywhere else. In between, there’s a concentration of owner-run shops, bakeries, corner shops and daytime cafés of a kind that has become rare in Vienna. The transport links are correspondingly good: the underground is just a few minutes’ walk away, there are several tram lines heading in all directions, and the city centre is a quarter of an hour away. And if you fancy a trip out of town, the Vienna Woods and the Ottakring wine taverns are not far away.