The Perfect Wave
G3 Shopping Resort Gerasdorf
As Austria’s first “Eco shopping center,” the multiple award-winning G3 Shopping Resort on the edge of Vienna incorporates many of the economic, ecological, and socio-cultural aspects of sustainability. The undulating structure of the timber roof is not just an architectural eyecatcher but also responds to a whole series of structural requirements and tasks.
The G3 Shopping Resort is a homogeneous and at the same time striking shopping center with 58,000 m² of rental space. The new building merges smoothly into both the existing G3 complex and the surrounding landscape. The design process paid particular attention to the creation of a building that is economically and ecologically sustainable while acting as a model for the retail sector.
A pioneer in the field of sustainability
The G3 Shopping Resort was the first shopping center in Austria to be subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment and – during the construction phase – was not only a klima:aktiv-mobil project partner but also Europe’s largest timber building project. ATP sustain supported the center in its successful quest for BREEAM “Very Good” certification. The tenants received a Green Building Guide, which recommended specific sustainability-related measures. Optimized building services equipment, high daylight levels, low-energy lighting, and intelligent energy management software ensure high energy efficiency. This allows the building’s heating needs to be met in a CO2-neutral manner thanks to a biomass district heating plant, while its cooling needs are met by regenerative well cooling. The external areas are irrigated by used water rather than from the drinking water supply.
Extraordinary roof structure
The building was principally designed as a single-story structure in order to enable it to merge harmoniously into its surroundings, despite its large size. The sweeping wave form of the timber roof reflects the rolling landscape of the Weinviertel. This idea is continued within the building: The entire spatial sequence is flooded with daylight and its forms, colors, and materials transform it into a continuation of the collage of the Lower Austrian landscape.
The 20,000-m² timber roof meets not only aesthetic but also complex structural and functional requirements. The sophisticated structural design is based on the unusual combination of wood, steel, reinforced concrete, and concrete. The idea is that all these materials work together and are differentially used precisely where each has most to offer. One particular challenge was the fact that the columns and the wide-spanning laminated timber beams, with their total length of up to 80 meters, are almost all different, with no more than two elements sharing the same dimensions. The huge roof also incorporates a special 3,000-m2 habitat for birds and insects.
