Modern architecture – Vienna a city of skyscrapers?

October 13, 2022

Where in Vienna do you encounter Modern Architecture? What is the height of the tallest buildings? Which renowned architects are significantly involved in modern Vienna? Where is Modern Architecture concentrated in Vienna? To immerse yourself in a modern and international Vienna , take the red U1 line to the Vienna International Center VIC – Kaisermühlen. Many new modern and also the tallest buildings in Vienna are concentrated there. The Vienna International Center – one of the four seats of the United Nations has been here since 1979 and was pretty much the first modern building in this area. The middle A-tower is 120 meters high. Around 5,000 people from all over the world work in the UNO City, as the locals call it. It is a city in itself and the architecture of the total of six office towers is arranged in such a way that, viewed from the air, it results in the ground plan shape of a ypsilon . It is also said that it resembles the shape where you used to put a single record. (If anyone still remembers this period, the Austrian architect Johann Staber built this impressive complex from 1973-79 on a total of approx. 17 hectares. It was leased to the United Nations for 99 years at a symbolic rent of 1 shilling per year (7 euro cents today) . Several international organizations have their headquarters in Vienna: IAEA – the International Atomic Energy Agency, UNIDO – the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and many others. They enter extraterritorial territory, i.e. they leave Austria if they want to take a house tour in the UNO City. Please do not forget your passport! Right next to it is the Austria Center, the largest congress center in Austria. Vienna is a congress city and hosts approximately 3,000 international congresses annually with a maximum capacity of up to 22,000 people. It was also built by Johann Staber in the mid-1980s and fits well into the overall concept. Donau-City is the name given to the office and residential towers that have been built in the last 25 years , also at the same subway station next to the Reichsbrücke. The new modern district was created by platting over the different levels of this area next to the Danube (Donauplatte). The Danube Tower , the tallest building in Vienna at 252m , was erected in 1964 as part of the International Garden Show in the Danube Park. Only 2m lower is the DC Tower, the newest “skyscraper” in the area. Other towers are called Andromeda Tower, Tech Gate, Ares Tower, Saturn Tower etc. The two architects Adolf Krischanitz and Heinz Neumann were instrumental in this expansion. The DC Tower or DC Towers (a total of 3 towers are planned) by French star architect Dominique Perrault is almost a new modern landmark for Vienna. The first tower has been standing since 2014 and houses international companies as well as the Melía Hotel on the top floors with a fantastic view from the open-air roof terrace on the 57th floor. The other two planned towers are still under construction. In Vienna’s city center , the Haas House opposite St. Stephen’s Cathedral is home to modern architecture by the famous architect Hans Hollein . It has been here in this form since 1990 , and the new building was initially highly criticized for being in the middle of the historic downtown. Do & Co Hotel offers a very nice view from the roof terrace . The “old Gothic” St. Stephen’s Cathedral is also beautifully reflected in the facade of the modern architecture. The Museumsquartier (MQ) impresses with modern architecture of the two main museums, the Leopold Museum and the Mumok (Museum of Modern Art). It was opened in 2001 after years of reconstruction, as the baroque stables of the Habsburgs used to be located here. Old tradition and modern architecture were stylishly combined. The Vienna Twin Towers on the Wienerberg in Favoriten were built at the same time as the Museum Quarter. These are two modern office towers with 127m and 138m . The Wienerberg recreational area is located in the immediate vicinity. Since there is no connection to a subway station, this area is not on the usual sightseeing routes. From the Danube Tower you have a view of this modern part of Vienna. The Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) with its modern campus attracts fans of modern architecture . Especially the striking Library Learning Center by the already deceased star architect Zaha Hadid makes the hearts of architecture freaks beat faster. Other international architects such as Peter Cook and Hitoshi Abe were involved, as well as architectural firms from Madrid and Barcelona. The grand opening took place in October 2013 and the total costwas just under 500 million euros. About 25,000 students from all over the world come to Vienna to study at one of the largest and most renowned business universities in Europe . There are also guided tours of the WU campus Since December 2015 , trains have been stopping at the newly built Vienna Central Station with its modern architecture . The area with the Erste Bank Campus is developing into a new modern district of Vienna and is located very close to the city center on the red U1 Hauptbahnhof line. It takes less than 10 minutes to get to Stephansplatz, right in the city center. Time Travel Tip: The Architekturzentrum Wien (AzW) in the Museumsquartier offers a permanent exhibition on modern architecture of the 20. and 21st c. in Vienna and throughout Austria.