Vienna’s Urban Tomorrow: Discussion at Wolf Theiss with Christoph Chorherr

Vienna, 9 November 2023 – In cooperation with the Urban Land Institute, Wolf Theiss organised an event titled “The future of Vienna’s urban planning: wishes of an outside insider”. Christoph Chorherr, one of the most influential political figures in Viennese urban politics, presented 10 theses for sustainable urban development yesterday evening.

Until his retirement from politics, Christoph Chorherr had a lasting influence on Viennese urban planning by campaigning for the expansion of cycle paths, car-free housing estates, environmentally friendly heating technologies and environmentally friendly urban architecture. His pioneering projects also include the first furniture store without a car park in Austria – the “Ikea” at Vienna’s Westbahnhof railway station.

Despite leaving his involvement in day-to-day politics behind, he still has a clear political vision of urban planning.

“A central thesis that I have for urban planning today – unlike in the past – involves the category of beauty,”

says Chorherr.

He also presented his long-time passion project, the school projects of the Ithuba Community College Johannesburg and the Ithuba Wild Coast Community College in South Africa, emphasising the importance of the s2arch – social and sustainable architecture association.

The discussion was moderated by Peter Oberlechner, partner at Wolf Theiss, and Birgit Kraml, also a partner at Wolf Theiss and Chairwoman of the Urban Land Institute Austria.

“Chorherr’s contribution to the evolution of Vienna’s building regulations is also remarkable – for example, the anchoring of the principle of climate protection, the introduction of the “subsidised housing” use category, or the legal curbing of the demolition of Wilhelminian-style buildings”,

says Oberlechner.

“The beauty of architecture and the importance of culture and education, because they are essentially what make us human beings, are highlighted far too little today, which makes it all the more important that Christoph Chorherr emphasises these points in particular and provides food for thought on them”,

says Birgit Kraml.

Preview:

On 20 November 2023, the “Wolf Theiss Real Estate Lounge” will take place, during which successful real estate restructurings will be discussed from a legal and practical perspective. Wolfgang Tutsch, CEO of MPT Advisory Group, will share his many years of international experience in the restructuring of property projects. Register here.