1+1=3 Talk with Karin Rezar
Our employees are the basis for successful architecture for our clients. Karin Rezar and ZIMA are a team that creates added value:
Which project would you most like to talk about? Please describe it in 3 short sentences!
I would suggest the project DF164- Donaufelder Straße 164 in 1220 Vienna and highlight it as particularly interesting. The project comprises 3 buildings as well as the design of a park landscape, which represents the extension of the existing Kirschblütenpark to Donaufelder Straße.
The two buildings located in the park contain 244 privately financed condominiums, while 126 rental flats are being built in the section located on Donaufelder Straße. In addition to residential use, the building on the street side offers a kindergarten and a shop on the ground floor and provides access from Donaufelder Strasse to Kirschblütenpark via a 15-metre-wide public passageway for pedestrians. Why? What makes this project special for you? We were already able to get involved in the zoning procedure for the development plan and, in collaboration with the City of Vienna and our clients, develop a development and design of the public spaces that is favourable for all parties involved. In most cases, we as architects start with the development of a new project on the basis of the existing zoning and development plan. This project was different, as the entire planning area was subject to a change in the development plan. This allowed me to be involved at an early planning stage, which is normally already finalised at the start of the project. The design of three buildings with completely different external appearances and shapes in one project was also a challenging and exciting task. What was the biggest challenge with this building? This question is not so easy to answer. There were a number of challenges, starting with the zoning procedure and determining the building classes for the respective structures through to the different utilisation options. In the original zoning proposal, the free-standing building in the park should have been a high-rise building of building class VI with a height of 35 metres and we had already planned it that way. In the course of the further zoning procedure, to which neighbouring residents were also invited for assessment, the zoning proposal for this building was changed and the high-rise building became the Y-shaped building. During discussions with our clients and the consultants, it emerged in the course of planning that we named the individual buildings by letter according to their shape. We called the buildings planned at the time T-U-I. However, due to the reduction in the building class, we lost the I. Our clients had different ideas about the utilisation of the building on the street side, which we naturally supported with designs. For example, we had also planned this building (T) as a student residence before it reverted back to residential use. Who was your most important contact for this project and how would you describe the collaboration? My most important contact person was Thomas Thaler, Site Manager of Zima in Vienna. The collaboration with Mr Thaler was very harmonious, as not only did the project work very well from a technical point of view, but we also get on very well personally. What generally characterises Thomas Thaler in particular? His work is solution-orientated and very straightforward. His approach to organising the project is very open and problem-solving is uncomplicated. His collegial approach makes it clear that he appreciates my professional expertise, and his friendly manner makes working with him all the more pleasant. The project developed very well as a result. Thanks to the harmonious cooperation, I am particularly pleased to be able to develop another project (Attemsgasse 44, 1220 Vienna with a total of 5 buildings) in collaboration with Zima Wien.
The two buildings located in the park contain 244 privately financed condominiums, while 126 rental flats are being built in the section located on Donaufelder Straße. In addition to residential use, the building on the street side offers a kindergarten and a shop on the ground floor and provides access from Donaufelder Strasse to Kirschblütenpark via a 15-metre-wide public passageway for pedestrians. Why? What makes this project special for you? We were already able to get involved in the zoning procedure for the development plan and, in collaboration with the City of Vienna and our clients, develop a development and design of the public spaces that is favourable for all parties involved. In most cases, we as architects start with the development of a new project on the basis of the existing zoning and development plan. This project was different, as the entire planning area was subject to a change in the development plan. This allowed me to be involved at an early planning stage, which is normally already finalised at the start of the project. The design of three buildings with completely different external appearances and shapes in one project was also a challenging and exciting task. What was the biggest challenge with this building? This question is not so easy to answer. There were a number of challenges, starting with the zoning procedure and determining the building classes for the respective structures through to the different utilisation options. In the original zoning proposal, the free-standing building in the park should have been a high-rise building of building class VI with a height of 35 metres and we had already planned it that way. In the course of the further zoning procedure, to which neighbouring residents were also invited for assessment, the zoning proposal for this building was changed and the high-rise building became the Y-shaped building. During discussions with our clients and the consultants, it emerged in the course of planning that we named the individual buildings by letter according to their shape. We called the buildings planned at the time T-U-I. However, due to the reduction in the building class, we lost the I. Our clients had different ideas about the utilisation of the building on the street side, which we naturally supported with designs. For example, we had also planned this building (T) as a student residence before it reverted back to residential use. Who was your most important contact for this project and how would you describe the collaboration? My most important contact person was Thomas Thaler, Site Manager of Zima in Vienna. The collaboration with Mr Thaler was very harmonious, as not only did the project work very well from a technical point of view, but we also get on very well personally. What generally characterises Thomas Thaler in particular? His work is solution-orientated and very straightforward. His approach to organising the project is very open and problem-solving is uncomplicated. His collegial approach makes it clear that he appreciates my professional expertise, and his friendly manner makes working with him all the more pleasant. The project developed very well as a result. Thanks to the harmonious cooperation, I am particularly pleased to be able to develop another project (Attemsgasse 44, 1220 Vienna with a total of 5 buildings) in collaboration with Zima Wien.
