euro plaza development, phase 5 - world of...

PORR ProjectsWorld of PORR 164/2014

Helmut Piller

Project descriptionIn August 2012, Porr Bau GmbH was appointed generalcontractor in the construction of Phase 5 in the EURO PLAZAoffice park, which stands on the Wienerberg near Vienna-Meidling station in the city's 12th district.

Built in the record time of 14 months, Phase 5 has extendedVienna's most up-to-date office development by a furtherthree office buildings. This was already the ninth property atthis location that PORR has completed as general contractorsince 2001.

EURO PLAZA Master PlanImage: AnnA BlaU

Construction phase 5Image: AnnA BlaU

The high quality of execution and the site's prime location dueto excellent transport links have generated considerableinterest in the rental units at the office park. Phase 5 hasadded a further 35,000 m² to the lettable gross commercialfloor area at the EURO PLAZA site. Like EURO PLAZA 4, thenew buildings are set to obtain a gold ÖGNI (Austrian GreenBuilding Council) certificate, the most stringent internationallabel for sustainable buildings in Austria. Phase 5 occupies a square plot with a side length of around

100 m, framed by three streets and a car park to the south.The offices of HN+P Architekt Heinz Neumann + Partnerdesigned the two L-shaped blocks and a smaller building asreinforced-concrete frame structures. This concept maximizedlayout efficiency and flexibility, which are key features inattracting tenants.

The ground-floor levels are intended for multi-purpose uses,e.g. as office units, shops, restaurants, storerooms andservice facilities. The five upper storeys in each building areto house variously sized and configured offices. The twobasement levels provide 328 parking bays plus storage andservice space.

Car parkImage: Toni Rappersberger

Car parkImage: Toni Rappersberger

EURO PLAZA Development, Phase 5Blocks H, I and J completed in just 14 months


Project data

Project type Office park

Client Kapsch Immobilien GmbH represented byStrauss & Partner Development GmbH

Investor Kapsch Immobilien GmbH

Architecture HN+P, Architekt Heinz Neumann + Partner

Structuraldesign

ZT Gritsch and ZT Mencik

Buildingservices

HTG Ortner GmbH (HVAC & sanitary),KBC Kapsch BusinessCom (low-voltagecurrent), Elektro Schwarzmann GmbH(mains connections), Otis GmbH (elevator)

Sitesupervision

Proché & Partner Ziviltechniker KEG

Constructionperiod

August 2012-October 2013 (completion ofbuilding shell and developer's fit-out plusparts of tenant fit-out)

Contractor Porr Bau GmbH (internal partnershipbetween Major Building ProjectsDepartment & Vienna BuildingConstruction Branch (New Build Dpt. 1)

Grosscommercialfloor area

35,000 m²

3 buildings Ground floor, 5 upper floors

Garage Two-level underground garage with 328car spaces

Site area Approx. 10,000 m²

Grounds Approx. 10,000 m²

Excavated soil 100,000 m³

Concrete 40,000 m³

Reinforcement 3,000 t

Construction scheduleConstruction started on 2 August 2012. The constructionperiod roughly breaks down as follows:

Excavation: August 2012-November 2012 (3 months)Shell: November 2012-May 2013 (6 months)Fit-out: March 2013-October 2013 (8 months)

This simplified programme highlights the tight constructiondeadlines, with the first tenant scheduled to move in just 14months after the start of excavation work. The heavy snowfallin the winter of 2012/2013 caused further headaches for thePORR project team. But all sections were completed on time,despite these adverse factors.

The cornerstone ceremony took place on 5 November 2012in the presence of Vienna's Deputy Mayoress Mag. RenateBrauner and PORR CEO Karl-Heinz Strauss. Click here forvideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVE2It5MYYY&feature=youtu.be

Up to 250 people worked on the construction site over thecourse of building, while as many as 350 were involved in thefit-out.

ExcavationThe approx. 10,000 m² plot was excavated to a depth ofaround 10.5 m below ground level, requiring removal anddisposal of some 100,000 m³ of soil in less than three months.Patches of rock, inadequately recorded during theconstruction site selection procedure, proved furthercomplications.

Shoring up the pitSuitable methods were adopted to stabilise the pit asexcavation works proceeded. It was unnecessary to anticipategroundwater infiltration, as the water table in this area is low.A 60° embankment was constructed along the sides of the pitin the southern section of the construction site, where therewas sufficient space. A retaining wall with discontinuousbored piling, held in place by a row of anchors, stabilised thepit on the other three sides of the construction site. Shotcreteinfill was injected between the individual piles to improvestructural strength. The single row of anchors was removedas soon as the building acquired sufficient structural stability.

ShellSome 40,000 m³ of concrete and 3,000 tonnes ofreinforcement were needed to construct the shell. In line withthe client's specifications, a waterproof concrete basementsolution was adopted for the two below-ground levels. In thisstructural waterproofing system, the concrete itself acts as thewaterproof barrier and must hence satisfy high demands interms of concrete quality and degree of reinforcement.

The ground floor and five upper storeys were designed andconstructed as reinforced-concrete frame structures. Inconsequence, there were no other supporting elements toprovide rigidity apart from the stairwells and the parapetsincluded in the structural calculations. The parapet beamsserve to minimise floor slab deflection around the edges,while providing reinforcement for the installation of a transom-mullion facade. The structural columns are arranged atintervals of 7.6 m. To increase load-carrying capacity, thefloor slabs were strengthened around the columns using studrails incorporated in the upper reinforcement layer and byapplying higher-quality concrete within a radius of 1.5 maround the column centres. Static and dynamic load transferposes the greatest technical challenge when it comes toframe constructions. Therefore, all elements intended totransfer load (columns, walls) were positioned flush in verticalalignment, without any offsets. Earthquake reinforcement wasfitted additionally to the centres of the stairwells from thesecond basement level to the second upper floor (40 mm dia.rebars).The structural concept offers major benefits in terms of futurelettability: there is ample scope to accommodate tenantwishes due to the absence of 'obstructing' walls that limitlayout freedom. Freely installable plasterboard partitions areused to design space in tenant fit-outs. The only constraint isposed by ceiling bulkheads, incorporated as part of thedeveloper's fittings to speed up the fit-out process. Theseoffer the tenant a choice of two different corridor positions.The fifth upper storey is designed as a recessed penthouselevel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVE2It5MYYY&feature=youtu.be


Initial excavation and pit support by means of cast-in-situ pilesImage: Toni Rappersberger

Initial base slab sections and earth excavationImage: Toni Rappersberger

Concrete and reinforced concrete work on basement level 2Image: Toni Rappersberger

Concrete and reinforced concrete work on basement level 1Image: Toni Rappersberger

Snow and ice clearance due to onset of winterImage: Toni Rappersberger

Challenging conditions due to construction in winterImage: Toni Rappersberger


Concrete and reinforced concrete work on upper floorsImage: Toni Rappersberger

Rapid progress on final floorsImage: Toni Rappersberger

Steel support assembly and formation of inverted roofImage: Toni Rappersberger

Facade assembly and mounting apertures by scaffolding platformsImage: Toni Rappersberger

Completion of roof landscapeImage: Toni Rappersberger

Planting on roofs and completion workImage: Toni Rappersberger


Start of garden constructionImage: Toni Rappersberger

Completion of garden and planting workImage: Toni Rappersberger

Advertisement signs for settled tenants (Philips and 3M)Image: Toni Rappersberger

Tenants‘ improvements on other structuresImage: Toni Rappersberger

Initiation of terraces in rented areaImage: Toni Rappersberger

Initiation of irrigation and maintenanceImage: Toni Rappersberger

The technical systems within the building are housed on therooftop areas. Just one stairwell in each of the three buildingsleads to this area, out of bounds for the building occupantsand accessed for maintenance purposes only. Two othertechnical rooms are located on the first basement level.


Roof structures BT JImage: Toni Rappersberger

Ventilation facilities on roof BT JImage: Toni Rappersberger

Ventilation facilities behind soundproof walls on roof BT JImage: Toni Rappersberger

Supply lines and connections on roof BT JImage: Toni Rappersberger

Maintenance walkway over building services lines on roof BT JImage: Toni Rappersberger

Top view of roof BT J; BT I; BT H including soundproof housingImage: Toni Rappersberger


Planting on flat roofs outside soundproof wallsImage: Toni Rappersberger

Crossover to mezzanine floor; angled sheet metal edging; planted roof andsoundproof wallImage: Toni Rappersberger

The guests at the topping-out ceremony in June 2013included PORR CEO Karl-Heinz Strauss. "The rapid progresswe have made in completing Phase 5 is a testament to thetremendous effort and commitment of the entire project team",he explained. "Also, we are in a position to draw on ourlongstanding experience in the structural engineering sector,which enables us to combine top-class workmanship withprompt delivery."

Topping-out ceremonyImage: Toni Rappersberger

Presentation of the topping-out fee, (from left to right) Wolfgang Benedekt(foreman), Mag. Elisabeth Kapsch (MD Kapsch Immobilien)Image: Toni Rappersberger

From left to right: Dr. Kari Kapsch (MD Kapsch Immobilien), WolfgangBenedekt (EURO PLAZA 5 foreman), Mag. Elisabeth Kapsch (MD KapschImmobilien), Karl-Heinz Strauss (CEO PORR AG)Image: Toni Rappersberger

From left to right: Dr. Kari Kapsch (MD Kapsch Immobilien), CouncillorGabriele Votava, architect Heinz Neumann, Mag. Elisabeth Kapsch (MDKapsch Immobilien), Karl-Heinz Strauss (CEO PORR AG)Image: Toni Rappersberger

Fit-outThe ground-floor zones in the office park are designed formulti-purpose uses, e.g. as office units, shops, restaurants orstorage space. Catering to a variety of unit sizes and allcontemporary office configurations (including cellular, groupand open-plan), the upper storeys can be tailored to suit thetenants' requirements. Architect Heinz Neumann opted forlarge glass fronts to lend the interior a bright, transparent feel.The architecture excels in its marriage of functional efficiencyand aesthetic appeal. Spacious entrance areas open


onto immaculately furnished offices with everything – fromstate-of-the-art air-conditioning to the very latest ininformation technology – needed for a relaxing andprofessional working environment.

Philips fit-outImage: Toni Rappersberger

Amenities at EURO PLAZA, 2014CompletionThe project was completed in phases between autumn 2013and summer 2014. The first tenant to occupy its new officesat the start of November 2013 was the reputable healthcare,lifestyle and technology company Philips. It was followed by3M and various big-name companies from the high-tech andpharmaceutical sectors. Some 65% of the accommodation isalready let.

Completed buildingImage: Toni Rappersberger

Completed buildingImage: Toni Rappersberger

euro plaza development, phase 5 - world of...

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