TRUE URBAN SPIRIT

4 VIENNA: NETWORKING THE CITY
HIGH OPEN SPACE
QUALITY IN ALL
PARTS OF THE CITY
Open space qualities vary from neighbourhood to neighbourhood.
The inner districts with their Gründerzeit buildings offer multifaceted
and interesting squares and streets, which are rare in
peripheral locations and newly built quarters. Conversely, the
latter boast large green and leisure zones of great attractiveness
(e. g. Vienna Woods, Lobau).
The availability of high-quality green and open spaces determines
the quality of life. Strengthening the natural landscape character
and providing sufficiently large leisure zones within walking distance
are therefore key objectives of open space planning so as
to offer all persons in all parts of the city places for rest, play and
sport, social encounters and possibilities to experience nature.
Good-neighbourly relations in the city are highly dependent on
places for encounter and communication close to home. On the
basis of this realisation, intensified efforts were undertaken in
recent years to strengthen public space when developing new city
quarters. Examples include the “Palais Kabelwerk” project in the
12 th municipal district Meidling and aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside.
Right from the beginning, the development of neighbourhood
structures for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside was determined
by the definition of a network of streets, footpaths and squares
(see Werkstattbericht No. 103 “The Score for Public Space”, the
planning manual for aspern Vienna’s Urban Lakeside). The “Palais
Kabelwerk” project is a good example of a place of encounter,
communication and participation. Based on these initiatives and
experiences, the City of Vienna will strive to improve the quality
and availability of open spaces in all parts of the city, from densely
built-up Gründerzeit quarters to newly developed urban zones
( freespaceviennapublicspace).
Vienna’s high quality of life also derives from the paucity of conflicts
and a pronounced subjective feeling of safety and security in
public space. In addition to planning aspects, socio-cultural projects,
which as a rule are bottom-up processes and implemented
by local actors (e. g. Brunnenpassage in the 16 th municipal district
Ottakring), make an important contribution towards this goal.
Conversely, social work in public space often plays a central role
in this matter as well, as it shapes social and communicative proc -
esses, accompanies, counsels and mediates in case of conflicts.
Targeted community and education work as well as a broad-based
dialogue strengthen and activate social cohesion and personal
responsibility. Social and youth work provide on-site support and
nurture the ability of clients to assume personal responsibility.
These processes are to be further strengthened and networked
( Mission Statement “Social Work in (Semi-)Public Space”).
Thematic concept “Public Space”
By evolving and detailing the Mission Statement
for Vienna’s Public Space, the strategic framework
of STEP 2025 serves for the development
of a detailed public space concept. This thematic
concept adds spatial aspects to the strategy
sketched in STEP 2025 and complements it
by means of implementation-oriented goals and
measures.
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