ACV - Austria Center Vienna

Successful Modernization - Austria Center

The donauSEGEL and the new Panorama Walk (a joint project by Dietrich I Untertrifaller and Vasko+Partner) have already been completed, and the works on the new access building are nearing completion. Now, the renewal of Austria's largest congress center continues: The entrance hall, a true landmark and centerpiece of the venue, is undergoing modernization, along with halls E and F and the lounge areas. Completion is planned for the end of 2022.

This major project, with a total budget of 25.1 million euros, has been in full swing since the summer of 2021. The project management is undertaken by the joint venture HPM Weiner, and Vasko + Partner serves as the general planner, having been selected through a negotiation procedure. The executing general contractors are the companies Sedlak (construction), Bacon (building services), and Fleck (electrical installations). Completion is scheduled for the end of 2022, with a partial completion already planned for the spring of 2022 in time for the Radiologists' Congress ECR.

"The modernization of the interior spaces is of crucial importance for future congresses. A special focus lies on our entrance hall, the most frequently rented area in our entire facility, as it serves not only as a registration and reception area but also as a central exhibition and networking area," says Susanne Baumann-Söllner, spokesperson for the Austria Center Vienna. The adjacent halls E and F, as well as the lounge areas on level 1, will also be renewed and brought up to the latest state-of-the-art technology, as explained by Michael Rotter, board member responsible for building and property management: "The challenge lies in transforming the architecture from the 1980s into the requirements of a modern conference venue. We are combining different aspects such as air conditioning, energy-efficient LED lighting, and flexible room solutions."

The IAKW-AG (International Amtssitz- und Konferenzzentrum Wien, Aktiengesellschaft) is responsible for maintaining the Vienna International Centre (VIC) and operating the Austria Center Vienna. The Austria Center Vienna, with 19 halls, 180 meeting rooms, and approximately 26,000 square meters of exhibition space, is Austria's largest congress center and one of the top players in the international congress industry.

ACV - A New Vienna Landmark

The Austria Center Vienna, ACV, represents the largest construction project in its nearly 30-year history. Vasko+Partner, the general consultant, is jointly responsible with the architects Dietrich Untertrifaller for the exterior renovation of the Austria Center Vienna as the general planner and for local construction supervision, as well as for building services and electrical engineering as the construction coordinator.

A new access building with a Skywalk and three additional entrances allows simultaneous access to different levels. Additionally, the forecourt will receive an attractive roof structure called the "Donausegel," creating a new urban meeting space and an additional 4,200 square meters of event space that can be used open or closed by 2022.

As emphasized by the spokesperson of the board and director of the Austria Center Vienna, Susanne Baumann-Söllner, the international competition is currently particularly dynamic: "Barcelona, Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam - our international competitors have invested heavily in congress centers in recent years. The congress market is a growth market. Our house is also booming; we have attracted many times more international congresses in recent years and now bring over 100,000 international guests to Vienna annually."

A jury consisting of architects, representatives from authorities, congress and tourism experts, and property owners selected the submission of the Austrian joint venture Dietrich I Untertrifaller and Vasko+Partner as the winning project from the competition entries. The newly added access building with four entrances now allows separate access to four levels while providing short connections within the venue and to the exhibition halls. Particularly for smaller events, such as national cultural events, rapid accessibility from the forecourt is a significant enhancement.

Thomas Wetzstein, Managing Director of Vasko+Partner and project manager, is enthusiastic about the project: "With this gentle renewal, the ACV will achieve a repositioning, and I am pleased that we can also accompany an exemplary project in ecological terms."