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

Photography
Hertha Hurnaus

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.