NOMINATION "State Award for Architecture and Sustainability 2021

The Central Association of Austrian Social Insurance Authorities has been based in Kundmanngasse since 1976. The dark brown office tower was architecturally and technically outdated. Instead of demolishing the building, the client decided to undertake a comprehensive general renovation with a focus on technical sustainability. The result is a bright, modern building with extensions for conferences and public catering. In between, a new, urban forecourt has been created that welcomes employees and visitors with a friendly gesture. The office building has been energetically optimized and now, thanks to district heating, component activation, a PV system and a ventilation-technically well-thought-out double facade in the passive house standard, consumes significantly less energy than most new high-rise buildings.