Where do social inequalitites come from? How to remedy them? What contribution does a building make for its users, for the future? We address these and similar questions in our research labs: in order to be able to put the results of this internal research into practice, we need partners at all levels to support us. We need to persuade and keep convincing our partners of the added social value of our architecture and by doing that we raise awareness of this dimension of construction.

And how exactly does living space with added value look like? For us, places of communication are crucial for the living space. One example is our urban housing project ‘In der Wiesen’ in Vienna – a vibrant residential quarter that connects the neighbourhood across the entire area. Through high-quality and diverse use of the ground floor zones, social meeting spaces have been created. We have integrated a similar concept in the Metzgergrün quarter in Freiburg. Here, the connection to the surrounding area was crucial, hence the main square was of great importance. The pergolas are very generously designed and create space for encounters and for the development of all kinds of social structures.

Another example is the Qulumbus residential and commercial building in Klaus, where we have succeeded in achieving a careful redensification. The village centre has little infrastructure in public space, therefore it was important to us to focus on the active use of the ground floors. With its extra height, Qulumbus becomes a recessed building, offering places of communication and pathways to walk through. At the same time, the building is restrained, blends harmoniously into its scenery and enhances it. And it proves that high-density living does not necessarily have to result in a city. It can also remain a village or in this case a densified village.