NewcitySkyline - Nouvel's building in Vienna

Welcome

Nouvel’s Vienna structure to be the new face of UNIQA

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

By Kelly Matlock

Vienna, Austria (NCS) - Jean Nouvel and his “Atelier Jean Nouvel in Paris” carries out projects all over the world, among them museums, congress buildings, concert halls, prestigious office and apartment blocks.

Rendering of the UNIQA Building in Vienna

In recent years, some of his buildings that have caused international sensations in the world of architecture are the Fondation Cartier in Paris, the Lyon Opera House and the Paris Institut du Monde Arabe. And while he’s already designed the most westerly of the four gasometers in Vienna, Gasometer A, Nouvel is now receiving praise for a new design in the Austrian capital.

Nouvel designed the UNIQA building, a new workplace and mixed-use hub for the largest insurance company in Austria, in 2005 for an international design competition.

Although he was awarded top prize and commissioned for the project, his practice was forced, like so many firms so often are, to “hurry up and wait” until all of the financing was in order to proceed. Two years later, the project is just now becoming a reality and is expected for delivery in 2010.

The 75-meter-high building will comprise 52,924 square meters of space and will be built on a 6-storey pedestal. The building will feature a 182-room hotel, operated by be ACCOR with their Brand "Sofitel.”

A panoramic restaurant will be located on the 18th floor and the fourth and fifth levels will contain conference areas and a fitness center.

The ground floor will feature retail, a hotel lobby, and catering areas as well as a passage. The building will also include parking on 5 basement floors with 236 garage spaces.

The building is being constructed on the site of UNIQA’s former offices on the banks of the Danube; a very desirable location for any company in Vienna. Because of the excellent location, UNIQA wanted a new building but not a new address.

At the time of the competition, UNIQA CEO Konstantin Klien explained: “But what we want to do most of all is to take into account the significance of this attractive location as far as urban building is concerned. For instance, one of the important specifications for the participants was to consider the axis of vision, Reichsbrücke – St. Stephen’s Cathedral. In the first phase of the competition, the most significant aspects were to design an urban building that could be incorporated into the given surroundings and be used in as flexible a manner as possible.”

The former UNIQA facility was flawed to say the least. Analysis showed problems with the technical facilities, and the exterior of the buildings were, after 50 years, at the end of their life cycles also. Because of this the insurance giant chose to demolish the building build anew for economical reasons.

The aim of the two-phase competition was to develop an impressive project with an attractive publicly accessible bottom zone which was to be integrated into the public space in the surrounding streets, especially the adjacent Taborstrasse. Owing to its high profile location opposite Schwedenplatz, the possibility of facilitating a connection between the center of Vienna and the 2nd district arises.

Rendering of the project showing a view from the Danube River

with his design for the 2nd district’s new architectural highlight. Architect Franz Eberhard from the City Planning office in the city of Zurich and chair of the jury announced the result after its members had voted for Jean Nouvel’s project.

He commented, “An exciting new piece of architecture is going to be created on the Danube Canal. The “Media Tower” is to be incorporated in its position and strengthened as well. Jean Nouvel’s project promises an internationally high level both as a symbol and as an example of architecture.”

The Vienna government was just as pleased with Nouvel’s entry and expressed excitement over plans to construct the aesthetically provocative, yet practical structure and incorporate it into the city’s existing fabric.

“The project by Jean Nouvel is going to represent a signal from the 2nd district towards the city centre and with its intended multifunctional concept will become a new attraction for Leopoldstadt and for the whole of Vienna,” remarked city councillor Rudi Schicker, revealing his positive attitude to the winning project.

Gerhard Kubik, mayor of the Vienna district, Leopoldstadt, was also thrilled with the 2nd district’s new highlight: “This complex, with the structure and size of its business and catering units along Taborstraße fitting perfectly into the surroundings, will liven up the whole area and considerably enhance the infrastructure of our district.”

Although it was a unanimous vote for Nouvel’s design, it took some time for the project to move forward. Finally the client received a building permit in October this year and construction will be underway soon. If all goes as planned, UNIQA will have a new headquarters with operational hotel and shopping mall by summer 2010.

The building was also to appear independent and self-assured, with emblematic architectural language. Besides its main use as a hotel, the building is also to feature space for a restaurant on the uppermost tower floor, an impressive shopping passage on the ground floor, offices and a conference centre.

Participants in the second phase of the competition were Murphy Jahn Architects, Chicago; Paul Katzberger, Wien; Jean Nouvel, Paris; Gustav Peichl, Wien; and Richard Rogers Partnership, London.

Jean Nouvel convinced the jury