Origins of the Vienna Gas Tanks
The Vienna Gasometers trace their beginnings to 1896, when the city’s authorities launched an ambitious project to expand its gas and electricity infrastructure. Within three years, Vienna completed Europe’s largest gas plant, featuring four gasometers, and installed over 500 kilometers (300 miles) of gas pipelines, revolutionizing the city’s energy supply. As natural gas eventually replaced coal gas, the gasometers became obsolete, leading to the plant’s closure in 1984. Before their redevelopment, these structures served diverse roles, including as a filming location for James Bond: The Living Daylights and a venue for the popular Gasometer Raves, where the unique acoustics of the cavernous interiors created a distinctive echo beloved by attendees.
In 1995, recognizing the historical value of these protected monuments, Vienna initiated a revitalization effort, inviting architectural proposals for their reuse. The winning designs by Jean Nouvel (Gasometer A), Coop Himmelb(l)au (Gasometer B), Manfred Wehdorn (Gasometer C), and Wilhelm Holzbauer (Gasometer D) were realized between 1999 and 2001. Each gasometer was reimagined with distinct zones: residential apartments on the upper levels, office spaces in the middle, and entertainment and retail areas, including shopping malls, on the ground floors. Skybridges link the shopping levels across the gasometers, enhancing connectivity. The project was completed with an initial budget of $150 million Euros.
The Gasometers Industrial Renovation
The Gasometers consist of four cylindrical, telescopic gas holders, each with a capacity of approximately 90,000 cubic meters (3.18 million cubic feet). Standing 70 meters (230 feet) tall and 60 meters (197 feet) in diameter, these structures are encased in striking red-brick facades. During the renovation, the interiors were gutted, preserving only the brick exteriors and portions of the original roofs.
Additional Features Include:
– Over 70 shops, restaurants, bars and cafes
– A multiplex cinema with 12 screens
– An events hall with room for 4,200 people
– A daycare center
– The Vienna National Archive
– 11,000 square meters (118,403 sq ft) of office space.
– 615 apartments
– A 230-bed student dormitory
This transformation has turned the once-industrial gasometers into a thriving, multifaceted community hub, blending historical preservation with modern urban living.
