Big Pen Building Ensamble / LOVE architecture and urbanism

Text description provided by the architects. The urban development area Pen 76 is located in Vienna Penzing on the site of the former Siemensgründe – the company’s former headquarters. On the one hand, the former Siemensgründe is characterized by its green “insular location.” Shielded by a large-scale perimeter block structure, this is a park-like landscape in a quiet setting. At the same time, the upper floors have a fantastic view far over Vienna and of Schönbrunn Palace. The terraced plot with the adjacent green spaces and the all-enclosing perimeter block development enables the development of a noise-protected park & garden area for all residents. This quality is reflected in each separate building in a very individual way. Four buildings will be placed on the site according to the current development plan of the City of Vienna. Each building will be worked through according to the quality of its location on the one hand and the underlying marketing concept on the other. The result is an ensemble of separate buildings that nevertheless form a self-contained unit.

Garden Frames – The centrally located H-shaped structure is characterized by its lively facade structure of differently formulated loggia frames and balcony projections in front of each room of the structure. The southern entrance building to the park is reminiscent of historic Italian towns: colorful cantilevered blinds and balconies that seem to approach each other create a dense, lively, and communication-oriented street space.

ZickZack – The direct neighbor of Say Hello! with all-around, zigzag-shaped balcony panels and movable, large-scale screen elements that alter the external appearance of the building depending on the position of the screens. The screens not only serve as variable privacy and glare protection but also allow the interior of the apartment to grow outward – creating an intimate, tent-like interior space on the balcony. Serious – The western entrance building is organized on split levels with mostly floor-through apartments, some of which also have several levels. Its facades are characterized by generous loggias that can be closed off to form conservatories.

Outdoor space accessibility concept – Various focal points on the site (arcade, playgrounds, urban gardening, etc.) as well as in the immediate vicinity (local suppliers, subway, school) are connected by a network of paths. These focal points are not only nodes but also living centers of activity for neighborly interaction. The difference between the northern and southern levels is overcome at two points: in the east, via a staircase with a lift that follows the terraces of the outdoor space design. The passage on the west side still has to be designed (neighborhood problems). It is important that all destinations on the building site can always be reached via different paths.