"Living Plus im grünen Mödling"

Austrian Real Estate developed the new ‘Im grünen Mödling’ district in the Neusiedler quarter, working closely with the municipal authorities and Franz&Sue to bring the plans to life. This multifunctional building is another milestone in the area. Spanning almost 4,000 square metres, the building offers 33 care units, office and practice space, and a local supplier. “I am delighted that the completion of our sustainable building has created new living and working spaces, as well as local amenities,” says Gerd Pichler, Head of ARE Project Development. The four-storey building comprises a communal room with a kitchen, a therapy room, and communal terraces. The care units offer two to three rooms and range in size from 43 to 68 square metres. Each unit also has a private loggia. The ‘Fliegenspitz’ neighbourhood square is ideal for events. Residents can retreat to their own homes safe in the knowledge that help is at hand when needed. This is guaranteed by the on-site care service, which includes a concierge service available from Monday to Friday. The care team fosters a good community spirit through targeted activities. The care service offers a weekly shopping service for heavy items, as well as a domestic technical service. Security needs are met by the pre-installed Nobi lamp, which is used for fall detection and prevention.

Climate-friendly energy supply
The new building will mainly be supplied with climate-friendly energy. The hot water, heating and temperature control energy comes from climate-neutral geothermal sources. Twenty-one 150-metre-deep probes supply heat or cold to the heat pumps. Component activation integrated into the false ceiling ensures a pleasant indoor temperature all year round. Thanks to the good storage capacity of concrete, energy can be saved here. A photovoltaic system on the roof will produce some of the required electricity. The outer shell is made of a rear-ventilated timber façade. Concrete is also used for retaining walls, exterior walls and concrete furniture elements in the entrance area. Concrete slabs were used for the courtyard terrace's supports and ceiling soffits, and for the terraces and loggias. Horizontal accents are provided by strips of fibre cement panels in the wooden façade. For Franz&Sue, this is a pilot project that demonstrates how people can live and age together with dignity. “The neighbourhood residents also benefit from the building's multifunctional mix of uses,” says Björn Haunschmid-Wakolbinger, a partner at Franz&Sue.

 © Text: Z+B magazin; Gisela Gary