Car-free housing ("Autofreie Mustersiedlung")
- Initiated by: Christoph Chorherr, Green Member of City Government
- Realisation: Planning since 1994, completed in 1999/2000
- Location: Nordmanngasse 25-27, A-1210 Wien (21st district)
A housing project ("Autofreie Mustersiedlung") with 244 apartments has been constructed for tenants who obligate themselves contractually not to possess a car.
The number of parking lots required for buildings in Vienna is regulated by law. For every new flat one parking space is obligatory. This law had to be amended in 1996 in order to allow less space (garages) to be used for cars (down to 10% of what would have been obligatory). One condition for this exception is a good connection to public transport.
In 1996, the winners of a contest for building project organisers were presented: the companies "domizil" and GEWOG and the architects Cornelia Schindler and Rudolf Szedenik.
The space not used for cars (and the money saved) has been dedicated to common infrastructure, such as a bicycle repair shop, car-sharing, a sauna, a fitness room, playgrounds for children, a youth room, roof gardens, etc.
Due to the special nature of this project, a community set up by the tenants has been created and has led to various common activities, resulting in a better communication in the neighbourhood. A statistical review on the acceptance by the tenants has been made.
This project is still drawing international attention and is being visited by international groups of students, experts, etc.
Contribution of the Greens:
Christoph Chorherr, then (1991-1996) Member of the Viennese City Government (without portfolio), promoted the idea of car-free housing in Vienna and managed to convince the Social Democrat City Government Member responsible for Urban Planning to enable the realisation of this pilot project in Vienna, and consequently change the law on garages. The city took over the idea.
Chorherr was also very active in recruiting interested tenants, and he is still known as the initiator and promoter of this project.
The idea of car-free housing was initially considered for the city of Bremen (Germany), where Chorherr learned about it. But eventually Vienna became one of the first cities where such a project was realised.
Recent developments:
Although many leading politicians are still skeptical about a life without cars, some projects of similar nature have in the meantime been started or realised in Vienna, for instance "Bike City" in Vienna’s 2nd district (99 flats in Vorgartenstrasse 130-132, built by GESIBA from 2006-2008).
There is still a much higher demand for flats in housing projects like this than are available. In 2009, a new car-free project has been announced, to be constructed near railway tracks next to the Danube banks in Vienna’s 20th district, Brigittenau.
Links:
Christoph Chorherr (Die Grünen, Vienna)Christoph Chorherr's new projectJan Scheurer, Murdoch University (Australia)Architects Schindler & SzedenikGEWOGVCÖ (Verkehrsclub Österreich)
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