Gasometer (Vienna)

[Gasometer Vienna]

The Gasometers in Vienna are four former gas tanks, each of 90,000 m³ storage capacity, built as part of the Vienna municipal gas works Gaswerk Simmering in 1896-1899. They are located in the 11th district called Simmering. They were used from 1899 to 1984 as gas storage tanks. After the changeover from town gas to natural gas between 1969-1978, they were no longer used and were shut down. Only the outside front wall that was built with bricks got preservation in 1978.

In the time between 1984 and 1997 the Gasometers were used as film location (James Bond: The Living Daylights in 1987), as the location for raves known as Gazometer-Raves, as a party location and for exhibitions.

The township decided in 1995 to revitalise the Gasometer-buildings. They were revitalised from 1999 to 2001 by the architects Jean Nouvel (Gasometer A), Coop Himmelblau (Gasometer B), Manfred Wehdorn (Gasometer C), and Wilhelm Holzbauer (Gasometer D). Each gasometer was divided into several zones for living (apartments in the top), working (offices in the middle floors) and entertainment/shopping (shopping malls in the ground floors). The shopping mall levels in each gasometer are connected to the others by bridges. The historic outside wall was conserved.

Several other facilities including a music hall (capacity 2–3000 people), cinema, student accommodation, municipal archive, etc. are located inside of the Gasometers.

There are about 800 apartments with 1600 inhabitants, and about 70 student apartments with 250 students.

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Categories: Vienna | Shopping malls | Buildings of Austria | Landmarks