ZuZugLeben: Participative, social and climate-resilient vitalisation of ÖBB workers' housing settlements

Project status

ongoing

Project partners

• ÖBB-Infrastructure AG
• Söhne & Partner Architekten ZT GmbH
• Herry Consult GmbH
• Grünplan GmbH
• realitylab GmbH
• Ernst Rainer – Büro für resiliente Raum- und Stadtentwicklung e.U

Project description

ÖBB is facing the challenge of taking on more than 10,000 new employees in the next few years. At the same time, ÖBB owns about 6,000 workers' flats in about 540 buildings. ÖBB's goal is to establish these workers' flats as a benefit for new employees.

Currently, buildings and flats are being renovated to a contemporary housing standard. However, the demand for future work housing goes beyond the provision of living space; an attractive living space must be offered for young employees. This group of people in particular has higher demands in terms of living space (from sleeping during the day to childcare at weekends).

Goal and innovation of the project
The aim of the project is the development of a future vision for workers' housing estates, a prototype for participative and climate-silient vitalisation of ÖBB housing estates and the realisation of pilot implementations in the experimental space in the Mariazellerhöfe in St. Pölten. The requirements of this living space are to be specifically adapted to the needs of shift workers at ÖBB. Within the framework of co-creation processes, the needs for location-related, resource-saving services for shift workers will be defined together with future residents (caretaker 3.0, co-working space, food coop, climate-friendly mobility offers, as well as fitness, exercise and sports offers, etc.). A new socio-economic rental model is being developed for residents and their families. ÖBB's corporate goals for sustainability and climate neutrality are implemented in an interdisciplinary solution for heat resistance with perspective 2070 and the climate-neutral district.

Targeted results
The aim is to transform the ÖBB housing programme for the redevelopment of workers' housing estates towards integral, interdisciplinary and climate-resilient solutions, taking into account the (future) residents.  The transformation is intended to create incentives for potential new ÖBB employees to move into these neighbourhoods.

The prototype of this modern workers' housing estate is being implemented in the Mariazellerhöfe urban development: Here, the solution of heat resistance with perspective 2070, the climate-neutral quarter and the multifunctional use concept are realised in one building and the adjacent courtyard area. At the same time, resource-saving services for shift workers will be launched and established in the entire courtyard. The new residents can take advantage of the new socio-economic rental model.

The impulse in this urban building block leads to the implementation of the solution in the other buildings in the courtyard and to a quality agreement with the city, which is also implemented in other development areas of the city and other ÖBB workers' housing estates.

Contribution by e7
e7 coordinated the project preparation and was responsible for the project application.

In the current project, e7 is taking care of the project management as well as the requirements for climate-neutral settlements and heat resistance until 2070. Concepts and solutions - together with the interdisciplinary project team - are being developed and evaluated.