Vienna Main Train Station

New Vienna Main Station was built in the south of the wider city center, just about a quarter of an hour's walk from the Church of St. Charles Borromeo. It replaced two original, currently outdated, terminal stations (southern and eastern). The generous project (referred to - especially due to the enormous costs - as the project of the century) includes not only the station building itself but also an integrated multifunctional shopping and administrative center. At the same time, a new headquarters for the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) was established, and in the next phase of the project, the construction of a new district will be implemented. The vacant land left by the two former station complexes is planned for the construction of extensive social housing supported by the city. This is expected to create around 5,000 apartments, 20,000 new jobs, two schools and kindergartens, and a large park, all on 109 hectares.
The idea for the project was conceived as early as the late 1980s, and a competition was announced fifteen years later, which was won by the authors of the realized master plan - Atelier Albert Wimmer (Vienna), Atelier Ernst Hoffmann (Vienna), and Theo Hotz Architekten und Planer (Zurich). The project for the ÖBB headquarters was developed by architects from Zechner & Zechner.
The station building itself was opened on October 10, 2014. It is currently functioning more as a shopping center, with only two platforms in operation serving suburban transport and connections to Bratislava. However, by the end of the year, full station operation is planned. Direct connections to neighboring countries will then be established, with one of the highly promoted lines being Graz – Vienna – Prague.
To ensure that the new rail structure does not act as a barrier in the city, the station building has no classic “front” and “back” side, trying to engage evenly with the surroundings. At the same time, the authors chose to elevate the arrivals and departures of trains to the level of the first floor, which posed a significant engineering challenge, requiring the transfer of the highest loads (train movements) through the entire structure down to the foundations – the level of the railway tracks is therefore designed as a bridge structure.
A very distinctive feature of the new station hall is its dynamic roof. The geometry is based not only on aesthetic experience but also on the practical need for lighting the platform areas. The roof construction can be easily seen from the nearby observation tower – Bahnorama – the tallest all-wood tower in Europe, accessed by a panoramic elevator and a platform at a height of 40 meters. However, the tower will only be in place until December 31, 2014.
The technology for the station's interior environment was designed with regard to the sustainability and environmental friendliness of the project. Thanks to the incorporation of photovoltaics, geothermal energy, and cost-effective district heating and cooling, the project received the Sustainable Project of the City of Vienna 2014 award (Umweltpreis der Stadt Wien 2014).
The station's interior adheres to security measures and seeks to prevent common issues associated with station buildings (e.g., drug problems). The designed halls and staircases are thus generously wide and clear, avoiding corners and narrow passages. The occasional use of glass in the floors brings daylight into the underground garages. Lastly, there is a reason for the arrangement of shops; for example, alcohol retailers are not located by the entrances.