Innovate and grow

Airport World finds out more about Vienna AirportCity, which continues to evolve around Austria’s capital city gateway.

It may not be as well known a some of the world’s more high profile projects, but Vienna International Airport’s own airport city has been around for years and is quietly growing into quite a success story.

Vienna AirportCity is actually located entirely on the site of Vienna International Airport (VIE) and its combination of transport links, local supplies, health services, childcare and a huge range of office and logistics space ensure that it has been a small ‘cosmopolitan city’ for some time.

Its growing appeal to companies has also been enhanced by the fact that it was recently awarded the first Austria-wide district certificate for sustainable development from the Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate Management.

Building such a multi-functional and sustainable AirportCity is a key business strategy of VIE, which is actively seeking to diversify its commercial activities to make it less dependent on aeronautical related revenues.

And as VIE will be CO2 neutral by 2030, so will Vienna AirportCity, according to Wolfgang Scheibenpflug, senior vice president for real estate and landside management at operator, Flughafen Wien AG.

“To achieve our CO2 goal, the focus of the AirportCity is heavily on sustainability. We are proud to provide a sustainable environment and are constantly expanding it,” he says.

Wide range of locations next to a mobility hub

Vienna AirportCity offers a wide range of possible uses. With a logistic area of around 45,000sqm and an office and event space of more than 116,000sqm, it has already established itself as an important business and office location in a region where such facilities are highly prized.

Firms looking to locate to the region are generally seeking growth opportunities, 24/7 accessibility and international transport connections, all of which can be found at Vienna AirportCity.

Tenants to date include logistic companies, firms doing business in the aviation sector or highly innovative companies that need access to the international markets.

AirportCity as an innovation hub

Vienna AirportCity has also gained a reputation for being an innovation hub since Plug and Play, which spawned the likes of Google, PayPal and Dropbox, established a ‘start-up hub’ for innovative business ideas at the airport in 2019.

They were joined this year by PRESTO Tech Hub, an Austrian-Israeli innovation hub and investment management comapany, which will act as an investment partner for start-ups and young creative entrepreneurs.

Scheibenpflug notes: “As companies from Japan, Korea and Israel and elsewhere around the world are discovering, Vienna AirportCity is a popular hub for innovation growth and expansion.”

Office revolution at Office Park 4

The newest addition to the skyline at Vienna AirportCity is Office Park 4, one of the most sustainable office buildings in Austria and winner of numerous awards due to some pioneering energy efficiency initiatives.

Its glass façade and futuristic aerospace-inspired design also make it one of Vienna AirportCity’s most striking builidngs, while people focused features such as co-working areas, a kindergarten and catering facilities aim to enhance the work experience and the feel-good factor of employees.

And it is not alone in being an eye-catcher as the pedestrian bridge next to Office Park 4 doubles as Austria’s largest and most spectacular LED wall.

Without doubt there is great interest in Vienna AirportCity, and as a result of this growing interest, further projects are already being discussed, particularly those relating to the expansion of the ‘airport region’, conference space and hotel capacities. Visit www.airport-city.at for more information about the project.