ÖBB and Vienna plan green district at Westbahnhof

ÖBB and the City of Vienna plan to transform a railway-side property at Westbahnhof into a new urban district with extensive green space, ORF reported. A climate assessment found that the site is not part of a relevant cold-air corridor, although planting would improve the local microclimate and the quality of public spaces.

ÖBB and the city intend to pursue this approach in developing “Mitte 15”. The assessment was commissioned to produce recommendations for climate-adapted planning before the planned competition begins. It examined cold-air flows, ventilation and wind comfort.

According to ÖBB, only a small part of the project area is reached by extensions of the cold-air corridor from the Vienna Woods through the Wiental. Buildings and other structures, including a narrow section of the railway near the junction with the suburban railway line, the Technical Museum and an adjacent hotel, interrupt the near-ground flow before it reaches the site.

The study recommends supporting local cold-air production through large, connected green and open spaces. The project is expected to include about five hectares of such areas on the approximately six-hectare property. ÖBB said simulations indicate that the planned planting could improve living conditions, the quality of public spaces and the local microclimate.

The assessment also examined the site’s animal and plant life. It identified breeding sites for several wild bee species and special plants, which the project is intended to preserve and support.

The public will be briefed on the current planning status on September 15. The Mitte 15 project area is owned by ÖBB and lies between Felberstrasse and the tracks at Westbahnhof. Besides the green and open spaces, the plans include affordable housing as well as educational, cultural and social facilities.