After more than 15 years of intensive work on turn-of-the-century apartment buildings constructed using solid construction methods, the focus today is on structurally upgrading post-war buildings from the 1930s to 1960s in a sustainable manner. Their thinner ceilings, material-saving construction methods, and weaker substance require significantly greater technical effort to meet modern standards.
The example of the Hotel Gilbert in Vienna shows how a sophisticated structural solution can successfully support this change. The structural implementation presented us with complex task, particularly in the following areas:
– Earthquake safety for heterogeneous structures and thin ceilings
– Age-related repair requirements for the remaining concrete structure
– Load-bearing capacity for the new, extensive greening of the facade with a load of ~50 kg/m² and a large overhang
The impressive result speaks for itself: we were able to optimally implement the architectural design by the Eidenböck architectural firm and hand over a completely renovated building to the client.
BMW Architects were awarded the LIV Hospitality Design Award in 2021 for this outstanding refurbishment of the former Hotel ViennArt “truly jour hotel”.
📌 Hard Facts
🏗️ Project: Hotel Gilbert, Vienna
🛠️ Services: Structural engineering, test engineer
🏛️ Architecture: Arch. DI Heinrich Eidenböck / BWM Designers & Architects
👩💼 Client: Arch. DI Heinrich Eidenböck
📸 Photos: © BWM Designers & Architects / Michael Königshofer
🏆 Award: LIV Hospitality Design Awards
