Topping out ceremony: Celebrating the new biology centre

The completion of the roof of the new Biologiezentrum (biology centre) was formally celebrated on 23 October 2019, just one year after the ground breaking ceremony. As of 2021, 5,000 students and around 500 employees will move to the new building for research and teaching.

50,000 cubic metres of soil – corresponding to about 3,700 truckloads – being moved and 11,000 metres of ground leads, corresponding to 80 times the height of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. 150 workers are at work here every day: The construction site of the new Biologiezentrum in St. Marx is more than impressive and one of the largest current construction sites in Vienna. “The biology centre is a reference project for the third district and the university landscape of Vienna,” says Rector Engl who also seized the opportunity to thank the numerous persons working on the construction: “I would like to thank you all for your commitment.”

The Biologiezentrum of the University of Vienna is taking shape on a location in the third district between Schlachthausgasse, Viehmarktgasse and Erne-Seder-Gasse. (© derknopfdruecker.com)

Rector Engl, Regina Hitzenberger and Hans-Peter Weiss, managing director of the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG), dared to travel up to 36 meters off the floor for a panorama view of the new university location. “It is impressive to see how much has changed since the last time we visited the construction site.” 5,000 students and around 500 employees will find a new place of work under the new roof for research and teaching. “They will shape and liven up the district very much,” says Rector Engl. The topping out ceremony meant a busy day for the crane operator: Almost all participants in the ceremony seized the opportunity to see Vienna from above – head for heights required.  

Afterwards, the celebration moved – on firm ground – to the heart of the construction site: All interested participants, including students’ representatives and neighbours, got an inside view of the 19,000 square metres of usable area: A special library, seminar rooms, offices as well as a university restaurant are located in the base of the building. Through the main entrance, you enter the glazed ground-floor foyer before you reach the service areas that house the StudiesServiceCenter, the shop and the library. The large lecture halls and a university restaurant with an outside terrace are located opposite the traffic-calmed Erne-Seder-Gasser. The research area expands from the second to the fifth floor. According to the building concept, each floor houses a cluster and connected areas of the Shared Labs. 

Sustainability is a top priority at the new biology centre: To optimise energy consumption, the façade is designed to be as compact and efficient as possible. For the first time ever, a laboratory building in Vienna uses lab waste air for heat recovery. This way, it is possible to save at least 30 % of the required heat in comparison to common laboratory buildings. To ensure sustainability, the building complex is designed to be as flexible as possible, making it possible to add floors at a later time or to change the designated use. The new Biologiezentrum building will be certified in accordance with the criteria of klimaaktiv, which ensures compliance with high standards.

By 2021, the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft will construct the new location of the University of Vienna at Schlachthausgasse 43 in Vienna’s third district. Hans-Peter Weiss, managing director of the Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG), particularly welcomed Karl Schwaha in his speech. The previous Vice-Rector for Infrastructure at the University of Vienna has played a significant role in the project. “With an investment of 146 million euros, this is currently one of our largest and most important construction sites for a university location,” says Weiss.

“Academics and students will try to find answers to the great questions of our time here – the buzzwords being climate change and marine pollution.” In addition, Rector Engl pointed out that the plans for the laboratory areas are designed in a flexible way, making it possible to change the designated use or add new fields of work or equipment quickly and efficiently. “Cooperation with the district has worked very well so far. And the district and the city will also be in charge of one other task: naming this square. After all, ‘Schlachthausgasse’ (translating literally to “slaughter house alley”) and ‘Viehmarktgasse’ (translating to “cattle market alley”) are not exactly the most appropriate names for a biology centre,” Engl adds, laughing. “Therefore, we have proposed naming the building and the place after an influential academic and honorary doctor of the University of Vienna who passed away a few years ago: Carl Djerassi."

Regina Hitzenberger, Vice-Rector for Infrastructure, reminds the audience that the roof had still been leaking at the very same spot not too long ago. “But you could already see what was in the making here. And I see something new whenever I stop by,” Hitzenberger says. She particularly thanked all those who work here in all weathers to ensure that “the University of Vienna gets this new magnificent biology centre.”