HOHO VIENNA IS the name of the 84 metre high wooden skyscraper that is set to become a new landmark in the Austrian capital, Vienna. The tower – thought to be the tallest wooden tower in the world – is scheduled for completion in two years time. The investors, the Kerbler Group, are planning a building with 25,000 square metres of floor space that will house a restaurant, hotel, apartments, offices and a gym. The cost is likely to come in at around EUR 65 million. The tower will be built in wood and concrete, with wood in fact accounting for three quarters of the building. Advanced and automatic fire extinguishing systems with small fire compartments ensure that the building meets all fire safety requirements. The initiative has already encountered resistance from the local fire service and on the political front, but the architects Rüdiger Lainer + Partner are standing their ground.
“Wood is a sustainable material that has been used as a building material for 200 years now. Modern construction methods and today’s environmental requirements make wood one of the most functional building materials we have,” says project manager Caroline Palfy.«
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