Of brewing and building, from yesterday into tomorrow – the history of the so-called GOH Conversion Gösserhalle in Favoriten, Vienna’s 10th district, is a checkered one. Ever since its construction the industrial building, originally built as a workshop premises by the ÖBB before 1900, then converted into a beer warehouse for the famous Gösser company in the middle of the last century and most recently repurposed as an event venue, has, with its distinctive façade with clinker-clad wide arches defined the character of its urban quarter. This identity-forming brickwork structure was now taken into the future.
© Tschinkersten Fotografie
Utilizing the existing structure in a very mindful way, the project strikes a balance between urban design stipulations and the needs of future use—and embarks on a radical intervention in the process: While the exterior walls of the old Gösserhalle were preserved, the existing roof was pulled down to create optimal conditions for a new three-story building that accommodates office spaces and a restaurant and is enclosed by the historical walling.
© Tschinkersten Fotografie
The differential between the former building depth and the new skin creates a surprising, luxurious tension-loaded three-meter interval, which, through the correlations it facilitates, seeks to evoke magical moments like just right before a kiss. That in-between space is a gift and will be developed concerning design, ecological, economic, and pragmatic aspects. The concept relies on prefabricated modular elements and a mix of materials consisting of wood, clinker, and metal.
© Tschinkersten Fotografie
The design outlines a synthesis of respectfully preserved existing and leading-edge new architecture: Careful considerateness and consistently modern typology converge in a made-to-measure project that lets a freely natural, welcoming in-between take root in the center of an urban design task.
Project Info
Architects: AllesWirdGut Architektur
Country: Vienna, Austria
Area: 5 m²
Year: 2023
Photography: Tschinkersten Fotografie
Manufacturers Atlas Concorde, Geberit, JUNG, Laufen, Grohe, Schüco, XAL: Atlas Concorde
Competition Team: Aline Schmidt, Johannes Windbichler, Karolina Pettikova, Teresa Aćimović
Project Team: Alexis Brune, Arwen Weber, Florian Gottler, Martino Matteo, Till Martin
Interior Design Partner: JOSEP ZT GMBH
Building Services Planning: Ingenieurbüro Schulterer
Structural Planning: KS Ingenieure ZT GmbH
Construction Supervision: KS Ingenieure ZT GmbH
Geothermal energy: BCE Beyond Carbon Energy Holding GmbH
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.