Location
1220 Wien
Start of Planning
12/2019
Planning Permission
06/2020
Completion
07/2024
Gross Built Space
15.500 m²
Residential Space
9100 m²
Retail and Community Space
2100 m²
Apartments
140
Partner in Charge
Christian Aulinger
Project Team
Christian Aulinger, Mark Gilbert
Anna Barbieri, Dietmar Hahn, Michaela Ebersdorfer, Manuel Pawelka
Client
ProjetkbauPro22
Visualisations
Expressiv – Elmir Smajic e.U., Wien

Situated on a main thoroughfare in Suburban Vienna, Esslinger Arcades is a multifunctional complex with 140 apartments, two retail halls, and a social center. Through its expressive architectural form – both imposing and inviting – the project forms a nascent urban center for this diffuse and under-defined district.
The program is diverse and socially inclusive. In addition to affordable housing, the project incorporates specialized residential typologies, including senior living units and affordable homes for single parents, promoting a mix of age groups and family structures. At ground level, two retail units provide essential goods and services, while the community center serves as a neighborhood living room—a space where exchange, support, and celebration can unfold across generations.
The design features two five-story buildings above a single-level underground garage serving residents and commercial users. The northern building terraces down to neighboring low-rise structures, ensuring a sensitive urban transition. The project’s form aligns with Esslinger Hauptstraße, Telephonweg, and Illnerstraße, defining clear frontages and spatial edges.
The architecture features portico-like balconies of sanded concrete that face out to the city. On the ground floor, this habitable architectural layer opens itself to the High Street, creating a contemporary interpretation of the classic arcade.
At the center of the site, a green and shady courtyard opens northward, creating a direct visual and spatial connection to the adjacent park. This semi-public space opens up the site and provides a framework for interaction between the residents and their more private surroundings.
Facing the courtyard, shared terraces with garden beds and seating offer a sheltered place to rest, to play and to interact with the neighbors.
Erdgeschoss
Ansicht Esslinger Hauptstraße