Vienna
Home for the homeless

Extension with added social value

The historic building dating back to 1907 is being extended with a two to three-storey extension while remaining in operation and the existing functions in the social centre are being improved and supplemented.

General conditions

Vienna's 18th district, Währing, is characterised by a lively mix of historic buildings, green residential areas and a well-developed infrastructure. The building of the former ‘St. Josef Child Protection Centre’, built in 1907 in Lacknergasse 98 and designed by the Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, who integrated the influences of the Vienna Secession into his works, is the building site for the Student Trophy 26.

Originally designed with a basement, 2 storeys and a pitched flat roof, the building is now used as a Caritas ‘Wohnhaus St. Josef’ homeless shelter. The load-bearing structure consists of brick exterior walls and 2 internal load-bearing axes (one brick wall and one row of reinforced concrete columns). The dimensions of the existing building are approximately 34 metres in length and 16.5 metres in depth.

In view of the growing need for social infrastructure, the building is to be extended in order to expand and supplement the existing use. As the ongoing operation of the facility cannot be interrupted, the design task also includes considerations regarding conversion phases and construction sequences.

Design task

The aim of the design task is to add two to three storeys to the existing building with the following parameters:

Embedding the building in the urban context and taking into account the surrounding buildings. The historical architectural character of the existing building should remain recognisable.

Removal of the existing sloping flat roof, construction of 2 to 3 new storeys by raising the roof.

The current use (accommodation, counselling and communal rooms) is to be expanded and social added value created in the process, e.g. through additional accommodation, further communal areas, day structures, learning and therapy rooms.

The smooth continued operation of the facility must be guaranteed and should be comprehensible in the design work; considerations regarding prefabrication and construction systems, construction site preparation and efficient assembly planning are useful in this regard.