For 100 years the “Kabelwerk” (former called the ‘Kabel- und Drahtwerke AG’) was one of the districts leading companies and its largest employer. The company’s closure in December 1997 gave rise to a large-scale planning and citizens’ participation process initiated by the city of Vienna and the district Meidling. Already on the 30 May 1996 local residents were invited to participate in a workshop and invited to collaborate. In the same year, this resulted in the “Millenniums Workshop” with experts and was later documented in a widely noticed exhibition.
The initial success of the citizens’ participation process led to its continuance. On the basis of which an urban planning competition was launched in 1998, whose results were examined in so-called “pilot projects” until 2001. These “pilot projects” were reviewed by an “urban planning support group” and residents’ representatives. In June 2002 the new zoning and development plan was agreed upon. Since September 2002 the site is owned by “Kabelwerk” Bauträger GmbH.
The careful planning involving experts accompanied by a citizen participation process marks this project as trend-setting. Six teams of accredited architects created a variety of housing options, ranging from garden and terrace apartments to maisonettes, home offices, and houses with atriums.
“Kabelwerk” has a special concept concerning their green and recreational spaces. Besides numerous parks, playgrounds, and private gardens which are allocated to individual housing complexes, the “Kabelwerk” district also offers a number of car-free walkways, squares, toddler play areas, and a large playground for teens.
“Kabelwerk” was constructed between 2004 and 2010.
In 2004 the urban planning project Kabelwerk was awarded the “Otto Wagner Städtebaupreis” (Urban Planning Prize).
