Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Manfred Wehdorn, Wilhelm Holzbauer

Jean Nouvel,
Coop Himmelb(l)au,
Manfred Wehdorn,
Wilhelm Holzbauer

Four Gasometers and More

Photo © Peter Korrak

The four historical Gasometers, built between 1886 and 1899, originally housed the tanks for the gas supply of Vienna. When Vienna converted its gas supply to natural gas between 1970 and 1978, the gasometers became obsolete and the technical equipment of the gas tanks was consequently dismantled.

What remained was the outer skin of 90,000 cubic meters monumental brick cylinders that are now under protection as monuments of history and for their classical design.

Photo courtesy Coop Himmelb(l)au

The location of the project presented a special opportunity to develop the urban fabric of Vienna by means of various alterations of the transportation system, such as the extension of the U3 subway and the construction of the North-East Highway.

When, in 1995 it was decided to utilize these structures for residential purposes, four planners brought forward their proposals in conjunction with renowned architects. While Jean Nouvel, Manfred Wehdorn and Wilhelm Holzbauer took different approaches to the project, the architects Coop Himmelb(l)au proposed a second building to the existing one in order to make its function visible from the exterior.
The project comprises about 620 apartments, offices and shops.

Drawing courtesy Gasometer
Jean Nouvel
Gasometer A

Drawing courtesy Gasometer
Coop Himmelb(l)au
Gasometer B

Drawing courtesy Gasometer
Manfred Wehdorn
Gasometer C

Drawing courtesy Gasometer
Wilhelm Holzbauer
Gasometer D

An Entertainment Center by Rüdiger Lainer and a Shopping Mall connecting the Gasometer buildings is also integrated into the complex, making it into a new City Center.

Photo: arcspace

“The Gasometer project is not only one of the most remarkable projects in Vienna because of its volume but particularly because this project is based on three themes characterizing Vienna’s architecture and cityscape: on residential building, monumental protection and the debate on the historical center in terms of urban planning.

During the last century not only cultural buildings, public buildings, banks and office buildings were built on a large scale but it was the social housing that was the spine of urban development and characterized and still characterizes the development of the city. It was only the concept formulating the transformation of monuments into a center offering enough residential accommodation that enabled to preserve monuments economically and to turn them into a vital point of identification in the no man’s land of Vienna’s outskirts.

Vienna’s history shows that monuments are not sacrosanct buildings but vital elements of a dynamic city. From the point of view of monumental protection the historical Gasometers are not particularly worthy of preservation. They should be preserved though, as they are a symbol for the development of the City of Vienna’s infrastructure. For originally the historical Gasometers were tanks for Vienna’s gas supply. They were emptied soon after their shut-down leaving the built shell behind that is only a camouflage of the actual monument, namely of the functional building.

The revitalization of existing round buildings is not a new concept. There are for example the amphitheaters in Italy that have been converted into living residential structures. The new element of the project developed is the high density prevailing inside and outside the building and the complex technical solutions. These were the facts that enabled the realization of this project many have had a tough time with (the loss of emptiness is a gain for density and it is only density that creates urbanity). The shield as an extension does not only serve as a debate between the Old and the New or as the formulation of space and certainly not only the economy (the entire project would not have been economically realizable without this extension) but it is rather a visible symbol for a new content. In a figurative sense this synergy concept refers to the Gasometer project’s strategy of urban planning.

The historical city center characterizes the cityscape within the awareness of the Viennese people. Until now this image of an apparently ideal historical world has prevented up-to-date architectural tendencies in Vienna or it has at least hindered them badly. Besides the center situated at the Danube, the Gasometer project is a second local urban center creating a tension between the city’s historical core and new developments.

This tension enables the dynamic developments every city, thinking about its future, needs. Density is urbanity. We are proud that this theorem on urbanity has also been acknowledged in Vienna.”

Prix/Swiczinsky
Coop Himmelb(l)au

Januar 7, 2002

Jean Nouvel arcspace features





				Features
		Jean Nouvel, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Manfred Wehdorn, Wilhelm Holzbauer Four Gasometers and More Photo © Peter Korrak The four historical Gasometers, built between 1886 and 1899, originally housed the tanks for the gas supply of Vienna. When Vienna converted its gas supply to natural gas between 1970 and 1978, the gasometers became obsolete and the technical equipment of the gas tanks was consequently dismantled. What remained was the outer skin of 90,000 cubic meters monumental brick cylinders that are now under protection as monuments of history and for their classical design. Photo courtesy Coop Himmelb(l)au The location of the project presented a special opportunity to develop the urban fabric of Vienna by means of various alterations of the transportation system, such as the extension of the U3 subway and the construction of the North-East Highway. When, in 1995 it was decided to utilize these structures for residential purposes, four planners brought forward their proposals in conjunction with renowned architects. While Jean Nouvel, Manfred Wehdorn and Wilhelm Holzbauer took different approaches to the project, the architects Coop Himmelb(l)au proposed a second building to the existing one in order to make its function visible from the exterior. The project comprises about 620 apartments, offices and shops. Drawing courtesy Gasometer Jean Nouvel Gasometer A Drawing courtesy Gasometer Coop Himmelb(l)au Gasometer B Drawing courtesy Gasometer Manfred Wehdorn Gasometer C Drawing courtesy Gasometer Wilhelm Holzbauer Gasometer D An Entertainment Center by Rüdiger Lainer and a Shopping Mall connecting the Gasometer buildings is also integrated into the complex, making it into a new City Center. Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace Photo: arcspace “The Gasometer project is not only one of the most remarkable projects in Vienna because of its volume but particularly because this project is based on three themes characterizing Vienna’s architecture and cityscape: on residential building, monumental protection and the debate on the historical center in terms of urban planning. During the last century not only cultural buildings, public buildings, banks and office buildings were built on a large scale but it was the social housing that was the spine of urban development and characterized and still characterizes the development of the city. It was only the concept formulating the transformation of monuments into a center offering enough residential accommodation that enabled to preserve monuments economically and to turn them into a vital point of identification in the no man’s land of Vienna’s outskirts. Vienna’s history shows that monuments are not sacrosanct buildings but vital elements of a dynamic city. From the point of view of monumental protection the historical Gasometers are not particularly worthy of preservation. They should be preserved though, as they are a symbol for the development of the City of Vienna’s infrastructure. For originally the historical Gasometers were tanks for Vienna’s gas supply. They were emptied soon after their shut-down leaving the built shell behind that is only a camouflage of the actual monument, namely of the functional building. The revitalization of existing round buildings is not a new concept. There are for example the amphitheaters in Italy that have been converted into living residential structures. The new element of the project developed is the high density prevailing inside and outside the building and the complex technical solutions. These were the facts that enabled the realization of this project many have had a tough time with (the loss of emptiness is a gain for density and it is only density that creates urbanity). The shield as an extension does not only serve as a debate between the Old and the New or as the formulation of space and certainly not only the economy (the entire project would not have been economically realizable without this extension) but it is rather a visible symbol for a new content. In a figurative sense this synergy concept refers to the Gasometer project’s strategy of urban planning. The historical city center characterizes the cityscape within the awareness of the Viennese people. Until now this image of an apparently ideal historical world has prevented up-to-date architectural tendencies in Vienna or it has at least hindered them badly. Besides the center situated at the Danube, the Gasometer project is a second local urban center creating a tension between the city’s historical core and new developments. This tension enables the dynamic developments every city, thinking about its future, needs. Density is urbanity. We are proud that this theorem on urbanity has also been acknowledged in Vienna.” Prix/Swiczinsky Coop Himmelb(l)au Januar 7, 2002 Jean Nouvel arcspace features