Volkshilfe Hafen: Intergenerational housing for women

The five-story building occupies the space between Heiligenstädter Straße and the railway line in the 19th district. Beveled window reveals and light guidance increase the amount of daylight entering the building; a terrace landscape facing the Danube extends the communal areas. The ground floor opens up to the neighborhood with an event/consultation room (care and support provided by Volkshilfe).

The building offers 29 residential units, a shared apartment for senior citizens (9 rooms), two common rooms with kitchens, a laundry room, offices for social work, two communal terraces, and a spacious roof terrace (urban gardening). The designation as a residential home allowed for a reduction in parking spaces and thus optimal use of the small building site.

Heating and cooling are provided by solid, component-activated reinforced concrete elements, eliminating the need for traditional radiators. The system is supplied by a heat pump; instead of geothermal probes, donor and absorption wells are used due to the groundwater conditions. A predictive weather control system (in cooperation with IVET/BOKU) proactively adjusts the operating strategy, smooths out peak loads, and keeps costs calculable.

A central ventilation system with heat recovery supplies 100% fresh air and supports summer night cooling via the building components. The result: robust climate stability with very low energy consumption, completely without gas or district heating.

© Text: Gisela Gary; Z+B-Magazin; modifiziert