Three Floors

Restructuring

Outside the country, the Austrian capital is not infrequently reduced to its quality as a tourist destination, yet it is one of Europe’s major economic centers. Consequently, as in other large cities, the building stock consists of office buildings, which are constantly being rethought and redesigned in the respective periods of use. The six-story building in the 3rd district, southeast of the city center, was built in 2002 and was completely restructured for the new user, the office provider myhive.

Freelancers or teams, but also larger companies with temporary Viennese branches can now find the working space they need on the 9,300 square meters. The planners divided the building into three levels in order to provide the necessary circulation space, common areas and flexibly dimensioned office areas.

Emphasized transparency vs. calm atmosphere

With the redesign of the now centrally positioned main entrance and an enlarged foyer zone, the first floor is defined as a place of arrival and reception. A second, newly added level of use was given to the building through the attractive design and direct connection of the 1st basement floor. This is provided by an open staircase connection with the foyer and an incised, interior atrium courtyard, which allows for additionally lit areas. On the one hand, the generally accessible reception furniture such as the welcome desk, a café and a multifunctional event room are distributed over both floors, and on the other hand, rentable spaces such as a spacious tenant lounge, meeting rooms, individually bookable offices or separate office desks.

While the emphasized transparency of the entrance area and the pedestrian front of the building – the view glides from the street to the inner courtyard – create a pleasantly accessible new appearance in the busy street, the upper floors are deliberately quieter and shielded, to which the front glass surface of the facade also contributes. As the third level, they take on the task of offering both a large number of offices and office space that can be furnished individually in each case. It is possible to divide the floors into up to three self-contained units, each of which then has its own lounge area and an open kitchenette – where a good Viennese coffee can also be prepared.

What do you consider to be the main qualities of a good workplace?

Katharina Fröch: A good workplace should enable different ways of working. That means a height-adjustable work desk, task lighting with floor lamps instead of average room lighting. In the immediate vicinity, opportunities are provided to be able to make undisturbed phone calls, to withdraw for concentrated work or to go on a short exchange with colleagues.

Do you see any comparisons in room design for living and for working?

My own office is more reminiscent of an apartment than an office. The mix of office elements with the ergonomic details and furnishings from the home loosens things up, connects the two worlds and creates a pleasant room atmosphere. Sometimes the better thoughts come on the sofa in the office than on the office chair.

Which functional aspects do you consider to be the most important for the future development of workspaces?

An excellent technical infrastructure is needed to enable efficient working. A positive consequence of Covid- 19 is the realization that you can discuss many things online and don’t have to travel far. Meetings with different players are also more spontaneously compatible. This requires small meeting rooms, phonebooths in close proximity to the workplace. Relaxation and communication zones will also play an important role in whether employees enjoy coming to the office instead of sitting in the home office.