In October 2009, the construction began of one of the largest Passive House developments in the world, encompassing 1,700 flats over 100,000 m². Located on a 20-ha former railway site in Vienna, this ambitious project emerged from a municipal mandate that commission Passive House standards. Seven developers presented their plans for multi-story buildings, each boasting heating energy demands between 7 and 15 kWh/m², in alignment with a provided urban masterplan.

Volume 1 of the architectural design stands out with its elegant elevation, forming a remarkable corner due to its towering stature and innovative design. This particular structure fosters urban connectivity, creating pedestrian pathways between internal courtyards and public green spaces. Moreover, the building’s configuration ensures maximum natural light for each apartment through openings over the entire height of the building. Moreover, these “fugen” give the ensemble spatial tension. Due to the reseted base floor the housing appears elevated. The glazed community areas, a playroom for kids but also the bicycle and kinderwagen storage, are situated there.

Each flat is assigned its own outdoor space. The floor-to-ceiling glazing and surrounding loggias link the in- and the outdoor. The apartment designs vary, but there’s a distinct emphasis on making sure every unit is of equal value.

In the central courtyard, vertical ropes are spanned to support climbing plants to grow upwards, reaching even the highest floors. Despite the existence of an underground garage and a relatively light covering of soil, the result is a vibrant and verdant courtyard.

The ecological achievement is its thermal performance. Insulation between 30 and 40 cm with enhanced thermal conductivity lines the exteriors and roofs, minimizing energy loss. The use of triple-glazed passive house windows ensures superior insulation, and thermal bridges, often a weak point in construction, are cleverly circumvented. With these measures, the passive house standard is guaranteed. The threshold values for the heating demand of 15 W/m²K and the heating load of 10 W/m² is maintained and ensures a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.


Architect: Dietmar Feichtinger Architectes
Structural Consultant: Vasko & Partner


Passive housing in an eco-district
No heating system