Guck-Guck

At the edge of Vienna, the project researches and addresses the Kleingartensiedlungen. A housing typology that is deeply rooted within Viennese tradition, garden settlements embody a tranquil and peaceful way of life immersed with a putative closeness to nature and meaningfulness of community; a way of life that many city dwellers seek at the edge of Vienna. However the Kleingarten typology has remained stagnant since its nascence one century ago, and has afflicted city development with uncontrolled sprawl that is inherent in the inefficient layout and organisation of the allotments. The project focuses within an area of existing settlements at the Viennese fringe district Leopoldau and explores two seemingly contradictory ideas. By challenging the perception of ownership and shared space, Guck-Guck is absorbed in reworking the layout of the existing settlements to introduce a higher density of living, whilst retaining the values of the Kleingarten settlements.

The base of the design studio formed a profound research of reference projects and the historic background of the chosen topic. Whereas an analysis of the arcades of Bologna gave further understanding in the context of communal and shared spaces, the look into the development of Schrebergärten rooted the project in a sound understanding of allotment housing.

The manipulation of the existing ground enables a densification of the block whilst keeping the values of Kleingarten settlements. Units of 3-4 new and existing volumes share garden space which is enlarged due to a collective way of living.

Garden settlements embody a tranquil and peaceful way of life immersed with a putative closeness to nature and meaningfulness of community. In order to keep this values but increase the density of the area, Guck-Guck proposes to manipulate the ground conditions. After identifying areas of no visual interference from existing houses, the ground is lifted or lowered. In this way, space fo additional volumes is made available and through the act of terra forming new clusters of communal living are created.

In areas with no visual interference from existing houses, the ground is lifted or lowered. The resulting valleys and hills define communal and private areas whilst providing space for additional houses. Due to their moulded roof structure they seemingly blend into the landscape. While still providing a garden for every inhabitant, the life in a community becomes reinterpreted.