Extension and modernisation of a charming tenement house from the late 19th century

The tenement house situated in the heart of Vienna has been rebuilt with attention to preserving its timeless character. Thanks to courageous idea of the extension, the building gained additional usable space, while the attic was illuminated with tailor-made roof windows in the shape of a trapezium.

Anyone who thinks about Vienna has immediately in front of his eyes magnificent tenement houses of the city centre from the end of the 19th century. They stand behind the Viennese charm and enjoy recognition of an infinite number of tourists. In order to save the integrity of these districts, property owners often decide to rebuild them instead of demolition. This was the case with the tenement house situated in the corner of the Margaretenstraße in the fifth district of Vienna.

Tenement house from the so-called Gründerzeit period in a new version

The existing building has been rebuilt in a way to give a true and fair view of its original appearance. Above the fourth floor, another one was added using the traditional construction method and two floors of the attic, which were built in a steel and wooden structure. The next challenge was the use of cranes to integrate prefabricated elements required for static reinforcement of the building. “This construction is extremely rare, difficult and requires from the supervisory authority the maximum use of know-how and many years of experience in managing the construction process.” – commented by Eng. Markus Brandstätter, Managing Director of RUSTLER Baumanagement and RUSTLER Immobilienentwicklung. The whole building has open spaces in the form of loggias on the street side and balconies in apartments from the backyard side.

Special solutions for apartments in the attic space

Another challenge was the extension of the attic. The supporting structure is a combination of steel and wood. FAKRO, the world’s second largest roof window manufacturer, developed window solutions with flashings and supplied trapezium-shaped roof windows that were installed in the corner of the roof. These are non-opening glazed areas specially made for this construction project.

"FAKRO offers very good products and, above all, convinces with high quality services. Until now, we have completed five or six projects in cooperation with FAKRO. The greatest advantage is the continuous support given by the company as it ensures fast delivery times and options to produce non-standard solutions.” – added by Brandstätter.

Elegant apartments with daylight

In addition, the window manufacturer provided top hung and pivot roof windows. These modern preSelect windows feature ultimate standard of quality. New hinges ensure complete sash stability in both top hung and pivot functions. With the Uw value of 0.97W/m²K and the Rw sound insulation value of 37 dB, the interior is protected against external factors. Large-area solutions provide good views and convince with a well thought-out solution to bring daylight.

FAKRO products also offer protection against excessive sun. External awning blinds are electrically controlled and absorb solar radiation before it reaches the glazing. "When using external awnings, the heat does not penetrate into the room, thus they protect interiors from overheating.” – commented by Carsten Nentwig, CEO of FAKRO Dachflächenfenster GmbH.

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