Exploding apartment block

It seems certain the architects got this idea from cartoons they’ve seen. You know the ones, where somebody swallows a bomb and their eyeballs pop out on stalks when it explodes.

Those almost comical balconies, projecting at irregular intervals from the building’s walls, create views and snatch sunlight and fresh air from every angle.

That clever design ensures that every apartment gets its own private outdoor space of at least eight square metres, as well as underground parking.

The 254 apartments in the complex cover a range of sizes from 50 to 100 square metres. There are also plenty of communal living areas that come in a range of sizes, from the intimate to the large scale.

The designers were not just focused on the building’s looks – their project also included community and environmental features.

One of the goals of the project was to reduce the number of people who travel away from their homes on the weekends. The outdoor spaces were specifically designed in different sizes and qualities, to allow for a diverse range of activities.

Residents have a day-care centre for their children, a sauna on the roof and their communal outdoor spaces include vegetable gardens, lawn areas for relaxing and children’s play areas.

According to the architects, the design has many details that enhance everyday life, such as the roof-top gardens and the vertical gardens, which “enrich this oasis for living”.

The edges of the development have been reserved for the lowest structures, “patio houses” and communal areas, with the tallest elements set back to avoid the “canyon” effect of narrow spaces between tall, crowded buildings.

Architects

Rüdiger Lainer + Partner Architekten ZT GmbH
www.lainer.at

Construction

Just over two years, starting in 2006

Project completion

2008

Awards

Best Architects Award 2010 in Gold, 2009 *

20+10+X World Architecture Community Award, 2010

Green GOOD DESIGN Award, 2010 **

* The “Best architects 10 award” – 43 awards, seven in gold, from the 228 submissions

** The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies