PARCOURS II - Open Academy: Josef Lueger talking about the project aspern Die Seestadt Wiens

Josef Lueger director of marketing, Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG „How to build a city“ • Make the human the centre of interest and start from human needs and wants There can only be one reference point in building a new city: the human being and his/her needs. Therefore it is necessary to always come back to this principle and to reconsider if the development is still following the guidelines. • Procure a piece of land, ideally a large, whole piece The whole area is managed by just one development agency which gives some freedom in terms of schedule and economical possibilities. • Check the wind, take a look around, and lay the foundations The development started by inviting the citizens, the neighbourhood and local action committees to gain a proper basement for the planning process - also including experts and citizens; the masterplan then passed the City Council in 2007. • Get connected with the world in many ways The historical city centres of both – Vienna and Bratislava – can be reached within 30 minutes. • Get together a team that is up to the task due to its personalities and qualifications The development agency installed an interdisciplinary team. Together with representatives from the local authority and with many external experts bringing in their experience it is possible to create a very focused but also visionary and enthusiastic working-atmosphere • Back up and empower the team Strong company owners like the Federal Real Estate Agency and the Vienna Business Agency as well as the City of Vienna are fully supporting the project • Develop a radiant and attractive vision that makes every obstacle surmountable Aspern is a unique opportunity for Vienna to really develop a liveable city that is focused on human needs and sets quality-standards for future developments • Look for partners who want to build a city with you and who love high standards Sustainability is no longer a slogan but has become a key issue also for investors to create a solid economical base for the future. This is also true for quality-standards that help to occupy strong positions in the different markets. • Go from good to better Improvement is always based on the possibility to go from good to better. Therefore it is important to leave space for future development and to implement as much flexibilities as possible. aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside – The city of the 21st century Over the next 20 years, one of the biggest European urban development projects will emerge in Vienna’s 22nd municipal district – aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside. The dimensions of this new city quarter are truly impressive: the city of the 21st century is evolving on an area as big as the 7th and 8th municipal districts of Vienna combined. After numerous preparatory activities – ranging from master plan and brand development to the completion of the EIA for the south-western zone of the Urban Lakeside – the first construction activities for aspern commenced last year with the extension of the U2 Underground line and earthworks for the central lake. aspern is to offer a lively environment for research- and production-oriented ventures and investors. Young companies and established industrial enterprises will equally benefit from the co-operation possibilities in the R&D sector. At the same time, aspern is situated at the heart of Central Europe. In recent years, hundreds of enterprises have settled along the Vienna-Bratislava axis, and numerous international corporations maintain their CEE headquarters in the Austrian capital. For internationally oriented companies, aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside is a unique opportunity, as they invest in a top-level location that will be excellently linked to Eastern and South-eastern European markets. aspern differs from other urban development concepts above all because of its multifaceted mixed-use approach created over several years by Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG, the company charged with developing the Urban Lakeside. aspern will accommodate “The Full Life”. It will be a location that has everything modern people need in their private life, working environment and business activities: a business district and spacious commercial and industrial areas adjoining a science, research and education quarter, high-quality flats with individual appointments as well as leisure and cultural facilities. The Urban Lakeside is beginning to take discernible shape: the construction works for the two Underground stations and the track installations are underway, and the first leisure zone for the new city quarter – aspern terraces – is being created. The dark blue waters of the five-hectare aspern lake are already visible as well. The lake forms the core of aspernand is the first major landmark and welcome symbol for the people who will live and work here. The first sod for the geothermal power station that will harness hot water from up to 5,000 m depth for the sustainable, resource-saving energy supply of the Urban Lakeside will also be dug in summer 2011. Construction of the first building of the Urban Lakeside, aspern IQ, is due to commence in spring 2011. A research and development location aspern IQ is being developed by the Vienna Business Agency as an impulse generator for research- and technology-oriented enterprises in the Urban Lakeside. This innovation quarter offers young companies, office pools and other enterprises concerned with readying a variety of technologies for series production an efficient infrastructure with multi-functional spaces for applied research as well as attractive office premises. In the first construction stage, approx. 8,000 sq m of useful floorspace will be created by 2012. Technology and know-how transfer are factors that determine the success of R&D companies; thus the first tenant of aspern IQ will be the technology transfer company research TUb. This subsidiary of Vienna’s renowned University of Technology works at the interface between enterprises and universities and is charged with networking these partners for mutual benefit. For the companies settling in the Urban Lakeside, research TUb offers genuine added value, as small and medium-sized enterprises gain access to scientific expertise and can thus innovate their products and services. This entrepreneurial environment is also suitable for university spin-offs. The initial focus will be on two highly future-oriented issues: energy, environment and production technique. Research findings on alternative energy sources and modern production techniques are to be made accessible to enterprises in a targeted and effective manner. Innovative solutions will be equally tapped in the urbanistic project for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside, which renders the location particularly attractive for R&D companies. Legal basis and seal of quality for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside On 18 May 2010, the government of the Federal Province of Vienna approved the EIA (environmental impact assessment) on urban development and road construction, thereby greenlighting the first construction phase. In June 2010, the zoning plan for the southern section of the Urban Lakeside acquired official validity, thus providing legal certainty and launching implementation. The EIA is a true asset for investors and developers, as they now dispose not only of a wealth of information about the site and an excellent instrument for all further administrative procedures but can already trace the future environment of their own project on the basis of the environmental impact statement. A perfect equilibrium of working and living Generously dimensioned public spaces and the vicinity of the Danube Floodplains National Park combine with an architectural and spatial planning concept that meets the very highest demands to create a new housing and workplace quality. In all, the 240-hectare project area will accommodate about 8,500 flats, approx. 2,200 of which will be completed by 2017 in the south-western section as part of the initial construction phase. The first residents of the Urban Lakeside will arrive in 2014. The architectural plans for aspernfavour mixed-use structures over anonymous blocks, thus reflecting qualities often neglected by urban development projects of recent years. aspern offers a possibility of combining living and working in one location, since many residential buildings will e.g. also harbour office spaces. Housing projects for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside must take account of five focuses, which also feature large in all tenders for developers’ competitions: carbon neutrality, affordability, social sustainability, functional mix and architectural variety. Infrastructure, traffic & transport links High-quality infrastructure and smooth traffic and transport links ensure supreme housing and working standards for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside. Vienna-Schwechat Airport can be reached in just fifteen minutes, and Vienna’s city centre or Bratislava are only half an hour away. Already in 2013, the U2 Underground line will operate two stations in the Urban Lakeside to provide a direct connection to Vienna’s city centre. Tram and bus lines and hook-ups to both railway and high-level road networks likewise ensure excellent traffic and transport connections. Within the Urban Lakeside, the principle of fair road-space sharing applies: pedestrians, cyclists and public transport are prioritised over motorised individual traffic. Deceleration entails higher quality of life, and attractive footpaths and bikeways entice residents and visitors alike to cover shorter distances on foot or by bike. Public space to live in About half of the surface of the Urban Lakeside is dedicated to public space in the form of streets, squares, green and leisure zones. This is a very high share compared to other cities, where public space averages 30 percent. Yet public space is the “face” of a city and communicates its mood; this is where people shop, sit down in a café for a drink or practise sports. For this reason, the public space of the Urban Lakeside is designed with the utmost care. The planning manual “Partitur des öffentlichen Raums” (Score for Public Space) by the renowned Danish open space planners Gehl Architects defines principles for aspern that traffic and open space planners must follow, thereby safeguarding high quality for future generations. Active communication From the get-go, open communication and information have played a central role in the development of aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside, as citizens were actively involved already in the master plan process. Since the commencement of construction works, ongoing contacts with local residents and interested parties have acquired even greater importance. To provide continuously updated information about the construction works in aspern as well as key contact data, Wien 3420 AG has set up an interactive construction information platform (www.aspern-seestadt.at/bauinfo) that provides both an overview of the individual projects via Google Maps and a wealth of information about the construction site; a photo gallery adds visual impressions. Those who want more can visit the construction site in person: on foot or by bike along the aspern Urban Lakeside bike and walking route. Guided city walks or a tour of the U2 construction site are likewise available. The aspern service and information centre directly at the Urban Lakeside remains a meeting and contact point for all interested citizens. For more information, go to www.aspern-seestadt.at/bauinfo. Wien 3420 AG Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG is charged with developing aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside. It handles location marketing, canvasses partners and leases or sells properties. Urbanistic planning, zoning and infrastructure development are implemented in close co-operation with the City of Vienna. Wien 3420 Aspern Development AG is also the key point of contact for all potential project developers. www.wien3420.at