Generali Arena

KICK-OFF FOR A NEW ERA

The Generali Arena, the home stadium of FK Austria Wien in the tenth district of Vienna, has been renovated and expanded. The highlight: The Generali Arena is Austria's first sustainable stadium. Architect Reinhardt Gallister, along with the Atelier Mauch, designed the new FK Austria's sports facility. Vasko+Partner is responsible as the general consultant.

FK Austria Wien has been based in Vienna-Favoriten since 1973. In 2010, the club's address was changed to "Horrplatz 1". The new arena is part of the S.T.A.R. project of Austria, which includes investments in training facilities along with the stadium. Vasko+Partner played a crucial role as the general consultant in the planning work, except for the architectural aspects. "Being on board as the general consultant for the new Generali Arena is particularly exciting - I am convinced that the new stadium will attract international attention," explains Wolfgang Poppe, CEO of Vasko+Partner. The new total capacity includes seating for 17,500 spectators. Michael Mauch, project leader from Architect Gallister's team, was already involved in the Horr stadium's East stand and the youth academy, consisting of a training hall and a spectator stand. The new Generali Arena now has a uniform appearance. The new training hall has been in operation since 2010. The regional youth center is planned to be further developed and expanded. The North and West stands were demolished and rebuilt with two tiers aligned to the roof level of the East stand. The North stand houses the VIP area for 800 guests, business seats, boxes, banquet halls, and the honor stands. Additionally, a two-story underground garage was built beneath the stand. The West area of the stadium was converted into the new family stand. Overall, Austria invested 42 million euros in the redesign of their home, now a UEFA Four-Star stadium. Furthermore, the expansion closed the last remaining open corner between the East and South stands. The media area on the South stand was modernized, housing the security center, Arena VIP club, and technical facilities. The architects emphasized a simple, barrier-free layout and a respectful approach to the surroundings. The seats were renewed, and all corners were straightened or closed to enhance the atmosphere.

The U1 subway line already runs to Verteilerkreis, and the Viola-Park urban development project is also being developed in the vicinity.

AUSTRIA'S FIRST SUSTAINABLE FOOTBALL STADIUM

The Generali Arena will be Austria's first sustainable football stadium. Transparency, accessibility, and energy efficiency are central to the Generali Arena: Rainwater tanks are used for pitch irrigation, and a photovoltaic system is installed on the building's roof. The Vienna football club has decided to apply the international award system DGNB (German Sustainable Building Council) by the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management (ÖGNI). With this system, it is possible to optimize buildings in ecological, economic, and socio-cultural aspects during the planning and construction phases. "The Generali Arena is a flagship project in the European context. But this project is also a crucial milestone for FK Austria Wien. We have drawn inspiration from many international examples that have clearly shown that the foundation for a successful future lies in both the development of young players and, of course, the infrastructure. This is the path we see as an absolutely necessary key to a successful future," explains Markus Kraetschmer, board member of FK Austria Wien AG.