Bremen's delegation explores Vienna's model for sustainable housing construction

Bremen's delegation explores Vienna's model for sustainable housing construction

On this sunny day, July 14, 2025, a delegation of deputation for mobility, construction and urban development from Bremen found its way to Vienna. The focus of this specialist trip is on the research of innovative concepts for social housing, modern urban development and sustainable mobility. The exchange with the experts of the City of Vienna, who discuss the challenges and solutions in social housing, is particularly exciting

Special attention is obtained from the Seestadt Aspern and the Sonnwendviertel, both areas are known for their innovative approaches, which were developed as part of the international building exhibition. The aim is to integrate the valuable knowledge from Vienna into future plans in Bremen - in particular with regard to affordable living and sustainable neighborhood development, which also includes the mobility transition, the Senate press office Bremen .

A look at the seaside as Aspern

The Seestadt Aspern can be seen as a prime example of sustainable urban development in Europe. This development has been promoted since 2010 and pursues the goal of sustainably changing mobility patterns. The establishment of a subway connection before building apartments becomes clear a planning requirement for the mixing of uses and sustainable mobility. This is one of the many findings dealt with in the city sociological study by Jeremias Jobst, which, among other things, examines the shipping of emission reduction through changed mobility needs, explains the platform The future .

The Seestadt offers space for around 20,000 residents and jobs. This strong integration of residential and work areas is part of a larger strategy of the City of Vienna that aims at resource-saving urbanization. Integrated neighborhood developments and innovative mobility offers are also used. Cycling and footpaths and a connection to public transport were included in the planning at an early stage.

challenges and opportunities

The increasing demand for mobility also has its dark sides. A lack of jobs in the neighborhood leads to increased pendulum traffic and the use of motorized private transport. That is why it is important to further expand the infrastructure offers and the social offers in order to counteract these challenges. A small ray of hope is the survey among the residents, which shows that 88 % have an annual ticket for public transport and use 81.6 % regularly. But despite these positive numbers, 53.3 % of those surveyed complain that they miss leisure activities, such as a swimming pool or cinema.

In this context, the importance of socially sustainable urban development is also pointed out. In its analyzes, VHW research emphasizes how important it is to consider quarters as places with great social potential. This neighborhood approach is now also attracting the interest of municipalities, investors and the housing industry. In this sense, the exchange between the cities is crucial in order to further promote the social and sustainable aspects of urban development and create synergies. Further information can be found on the website of the VHW .

Overall, it is clear that both cities - Bremen and Vienna - can learn from each other on their travels and discussions. The findings from Vienna, especially affordable living space development and sustainable mobility, could help Bremen decisively to develop in these areas. The anticipation for the upcoming measures and the exchange remains high.