feld72 Architects

Townhouse with 13 apartments, 2 offices, 2 retail spaces

For decades, an unusual vacant lot in the Straußengasse shaped the cityscape of Vienna. The challenge was to find a suitable solution for the immense pressure of urban densification while appropriately considering the existing structure. feld72 developed a building that respectfully envelops the half-timbered house, closing the gap with elegant ease. As a result, the half-timbered house appears to stand alone in the street, creating a striking address. The typology of the productive townhouse, with a commercially used ground floor and studios in the courtyard wing, is adopted. The design focus is on the delicate façade of the new building, which features industrial accents referencing the existing structure. This façade conveys a sense of lightness and elegance. The added value of the buffer zone in front of the building encourages the spatial appropriation and allows the residents to individually manage light, climate conditions and visual permeability.