An eclectic mix of both traditional and modern styles of architecture, Vienna is home to many wonderfully designed and beautiful buildings. From Baroque and Gothic, to birthing the style of Viennese Secession and now delving into Modernity, the city is a colourful mix of different buildings that are worth a stop to admire.
Gasometers
After being retired, four 102-year-old gasometers were deemed to be too beautiful to be demolished, and instead were transformed into mixed-use buildings that included living (upper floors), working (middle floors) and entertainment and shopping (ground floors) spaces. Only the façade of the gasometers are kept, with the interiors of each gasometer designed by a different architect: Jean Nouvel (Gasometer A), Coop Himmelblau (Gasometer B), Manfred Wehdorn (Gasometer C), and Wilhelm Holzbauer (Gasometer D).
Address: Guglgasse 6, 1110 Wien, Austria
Hundertwasserhaus
This iconic building is definitely one of Vienna’s architectural highlights. Colourful and with not a straight line in sight, the Hundertwasserhaus is one of the finest examples of Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s architecture. Adding to the irregularity, residents have the freedom to decorate the façade around their windows to their own taste. With more than 200 trees and shrubs on the balconies and roof terraces, the Hundertwasserhaus is a sight to behold, and a truly green space in the heart of the city.
Address: Kegelgasse 36-38, 1030 Wien, Austria
Kunst Haus
A short walk away from Hundertwasserhaus is Kunst Haus, designed by the same prolific architect in his trademark style: wavy, with undulating floors and a notable lack of straight lines. Adding on to the unique character of the building is its façade, where it is adorned with enamelled, checkerboard mosaics in adjacent sections. Inside, it houses a museum, where you can find many examples of other Hundertwasser's works as part of the permanent collection. It holds frequent and temporary guest exhibitions as well.
Address: Untere Weißgerberstraße 13, 1030 Wien, Austria
Spittelau Waste Incineration Plant
After a fire destroyed it in 1989, plans were made to rebuild a new waste incineration plant. However, in the quest to make the new Spittelau even better than before, a hub for sustainable waste management, it was decided that what better way to do this than through art? Designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser, it now boasts a colourful façade, as well as an iconic golden ball on the chimney. With a roof garden, Spittelau had been turned into a brilliant space where waste, energy and art are combined into one.
Address: Spittelauer Lände 45, 1090 Wien, Austria
Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU University)
The new campus of WU University is breath-taking, befitting for one of the best business and economics schools in Europe. Designed by a number of renown architect offices, the building cost € 492 million and took 41 months to complete. It is massive, with space for about 25,000 students and 1,500 employees. The imposing library building is its crowning feature, encompassing a futuristic architecture that will definitely turn heads.
Address: Welthandelsplatz 1, 1020 Wien, Austria
DC Tower 1
A massive new tower built in Donau-City DC Tower 1 stands at 250 m tall, making it the tallest building in Vienna. Its most striking visual quality is its folded façade. A second tower, DC Tower 2, is under construction and will complement DC Tower 1, standing at 168m.
Address: Donau-City-Straße 7, 1220 Wien, Austria
Kabelwerk
A “smart city” constructed in a former industrial area, Kabelwerk is made up of many different types of housing, not to mention hotels, cafés and conference centers. Surrounded by parks, recreational areas, walkways and plazas, this building project makes up a design known as “wrap-around architecture”. No building looks the same, with every building having a different use and a different façade.
Address: Otto-Bondy-Platz 7, 1120 Wien, Austria
Haas-Haus
Designed by Hans Hollein in 1987, this postmodern building initially caused an uproar, owing to its location next to the beloved St. Stephen’s Cathedral. Many felt that it would detract from history and culture that Vienna so greatly prized. However, if anything, the juxtaposition between the Haas-Haus’ modern façade and St. Stephen’s Cathedral presents that peace can indeed be achieved through the blend of the old and the new, and need not be mutually exclusive events. It seems that the Haas-Haus even pays homage to the traditional, with St. Stephen’s Cathedral reflected on its glass displays in the daylight. Although originally conceived as a shopping centre, it now houses a hotel, a restaurant, and a café.
Address: Goldschmiedgasse 3, 1010 Wien, Austria
St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Who could forget the beloved St. Stephen’s Cathedral? One of the most prominent symbols of Vienna, St. Stephen's Cathedral is a 12th-century Gothic cathedral. From the magnificent tiled roofs bearing royal insignias to the towers offering a beautiful view over Vienna, St. Stephen’s Cathedral is one of the most prolific examples of traditional and classic Viennese architecture.
Address: Stephansplatz 3, 1010 Wien, Austria
Majolikahaus
One of the two Linke Wienzeile buildings designed by Otto Wagner, the Majolikahaus stands out due to the colourful majolica tiles that make up its façade, arranged into floral shapes extending up the walls. This decoration was done up by his student Alois Ludwig, and the architecture style characterised the early works of the Vienna Secession. While stunning to look at, it also serves a practical purpose: majolica tiles could easily be cleaned using water hoses.
Address: Linke Wienzeile 40, 1060 Wien, Austria
