Wohnprojekt Wien is a pioneering self-managed co-housing community located in Vienna's 2nd district, Leopoldstadt, on the former Nordbahnhof site next to the Rudolf-Bednar-Park. Initiated in 2009 by an association of private individuals united by a vision of sustainable, collaborative urban living, the project houses around 67 adults and 25 children in 39 to 40 apartments ranging from 36 to 150 square meters. Completed in December 2013, it emphasizes social, ecological, and economic sustainability through communal ownership, participatory planning, and intergenerational diversity, bringing together varied cultures, professions, and generations under one roof.
The project was developed in close cooperation between the resident group, the non-profit developer Schwarzatal Gemeinnützige Wohnungs- und Siedlungsanlagen GmbH, and the architecture firm einszueins architektur, which handled the design and facilitated the entire process from urban planning to individual unit customization. As part of the larger "Wohnen mit alles!" initiative, it features a massive construction with a wooden facade, near-passive house standards, groundwater-cooled ventilation, and rooftop photovoltaics for energy efficiency.
Central to the design is a communicative layout with apartments around a central hallway fostering spontaneous interactions, plus 700 square meters of shared spaces including a communal kitchen, workshops, event rooms, children's playroom, rooftop sauna, library, guest apartments, and garden. Ground-floor commercial areas support live-work integration, while initiatives like vehicle sharing, community-supported agriculture, time-banking, and neighborhood cultural activities enhance social sustainability. Recognized with awards such as the Austrian State Prize for Architecture and Sustainability and ÖGNI/DGNB Gold Standard, Wohnprojekt Wien serves as a model for basisdemocratic, open-minded city living beyond conventional norms.