Ground-breaking ceremony in Quartier 17

At the end of November, a ground-breaking ceremony marked the start of construction of the “LUMA – Das Lichtquartier” residential project in Graz-Reininghaus, an urban development area. On behalf of ÖSW Österreichisches Siedlungswerk Gemeinnützige Wohnungs AG, schneider+schumacher Vienna has planned eight residential buildings. The buildings under construction employ sustainable, core-insulated brick construction. A total of 277 privately financed rental apartments and seven commercial spaces are due to be completed by the end of 2026.

Representatives of the ÖSW Group, as well as other partners involved in the construction project, and guests from the fields of politics and business met on site for the symbolic ground-breaking ceremony. Photo above (from left): Sascha Risavy, Head of Construction Management ÖSW AG, Eckehart Loidolt, Partner schneider+schumacher Vienna, Wolfgang Wahlmüller, General Director ÖSW Group, Karin Gruber, District Councillor Eggenberg, Birgit Leinich, Managing Director ÖSW Wohnbauträger GmbH, Markus Fichta, Deputy General Director ÖSW Group, Stefan Lipp, Branch Manager PORR AG and Gerald Parzer, Head of Project Development ÖSW AG.

Core-insulated brickwork offers high performance insulation without the need to resort to a classic composite thermal insulation system. Instead, a mineral plaster façade is used, which gives the buildings a high-quality breathable outer skin. This makes the façade not only environmentally friendly, but also particularly hard-wearing, and it produces a pleasant indoor climate.

The buildings are organized as individual blocks grouped around a central square, and allow for all apartment sizes – ranging from 39m² 1-room apartments up to 93m² 4-room apartments. Thanks to the various ways the basic geometry can be rotated, most of the apartments are planned to encompass the building’s corners, thus avoiding solely north-facing apartments. The ground floors of two of the buildings are intended for commerce and an underground parking garage ensures that the quarter remains car-free. Lindle+Bukor are responsible for the landscape planning.

Photos: LippZahnschirm

Visualisation: schneider+schumacher