Built in the fall of 2013, the DC Tower 1 is not only the highest building in Austria at 250 m, but is also a fascinating, modern city landmark. From the ground floor to the tip of the antenna, it measures 250 m. In comparison: the Stephan’s Cathedral is 137 m high. The DC Tower also exceeds the height of the neighboring high-rises in Vienna’s Donaucity (Ares-Tower: 100 m, Tech-Gate-Tower: 75 m) by quite a bit. With its „one quarter of a kilometer height”, the Tower is – at least for now – one of the 10 highest (completed) buildings in Europe.
The glass façade of the DC Towers 1 is constructed of approximately 40,000 square meters of single-layer façade, consisting of two different types of façade. Façade type 01 is utilized on three sides of the building and has straight/flat surfaces. Façade type 02 is only used on one side of the high-rise. This particular type of façade is technically very demanding since the surface consists of 5.6 mm-wide strips of façade which are angled towards the outside/inside at alternating angles of 1.9°, 3.8°, and 5.7°.
The DC Tower combines architectural and aesthetic with the most modern „green” building methods and functionality. It was one of the first Austrian office towers to be built and furnished in accordance with the energy and sustainability requirements for a “Green Building” as established by the European Union commission. In early 2015, the certification as a “Green Building” in accordance with LEED© was finalized.The DC Tower was awarded platinum certification, the highest level possible. (Source: www.dctowers.at)
Product Overview: Facade Systems
The new office building for the Raiffeisen Holding NÖ-Wien on the Vienna Danube Canal is a milestone building for climate protection, conservation of resources and energy efficiency and is an international example as a certified office high-rise. This addition to the Raiffeisenhaus is certified according to the criteria for certification of nonresidential, passive buildings by the Passivhausinstitut Darmstadt – Dr. Wolfgang Feist, of the Austrian Institute for Healthy and Ecological Building (IBO quality seal).
As the general consultant and in accordance with the specifications provided by the Raiffeisen-Klimaschutz-Initiative, Vasko+Partner developed the building concept with photovoltaic systems, cooling with the use of Danube Canal water, utilization of geothermal heat activation, cogeneration running on biogas, as well as a climate control façade. Implementing these ambitious concepts was possible since Vasko+Partner had already been contracted as the general consultant before the dedication of the building. The main structural engineering challenges were two existing high-rises of hybrid construction type located directly at the edge of the construction pit. Operations in both of these buildings had to continue with as little interruption as possible during the construction phase. Alukönigstahl developed a special façade based on the Schüco-Systems AWS 75.SI to achieve this.
