“Hellerfabrik” Geriatrics Centre in Vienna-Favoriten, A
description

This former sweet factory in a traditional working class district of Vienna is a most attractive brick building. For a long time the fate of this property was uncertain, and for many years it contained artists’ studios. The conversion into a geriatrics centre is not just a makeshift solution, the existing wings of the factory building are well suited for conversion into nursing wards and the former factory courtyard offers ideal conditions for creating large, safe outdoor areas that can benefit the elderly inhabitants. However, one important precondition for this is to close the U-shaped development on the site. This is done by means of a new connecting wing. This wing is differentiated – also in terms of height: the lower building contains what are called the loggia rooms (brick), which are characterised externally by sliding shutters, the higher part contains the tower rooms, generously glazed and vertically emphasised by a metal-clad front element. The old building elements consist of load-bearing external walls and a central spine wall. In the new interpretation they are used as continuous internal areas at right angles to the bays of the ceiling structure. The circulation is positioned along the central wall, the rooms face either onto the courtyard or the street. In-between there are winter gardens that can be used throughout the year and offer an additional amenity. New projecting box windows delightfully accentuate the façade. There is a wide range of outdoor spaces. The remnants of a boiler house are incorporated in the new function and its striking chimney stack will be preserved. All the wards are L-shaped in plan. Dayrooms occupy “squares in the interior”.
DATA

Client: BUWOG Bauen und Wohnen GmbH
Competition: 2006
Start of planning: 2006
Start of construction: 2008
Completion: 2010
Usable floor area: 29.490 m2
Enclosed volume: 118.000 m3
Outdoor area: 2.500 m2