100 years of Sandleitenhof: festivities in the heart of Ottakring!

100 years of Sandleitenhof: festivities in the heart of Ottakring!

A quarter of a century in Sandleitenhof history: The legendary community building in the 16th district, Ottakring, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The courier reports that the Sandleitenhof is considered a prime example of social housing in “Red Vienna”. Built between 1924 and 1928, this large residential project was the largest of its kind during the interwar period and has a total of 1,587 apartments.

The area in Ottakring was originally used for viticulture before the city of Vienna intervened in the difficult interwar period to create living space for the workforce. In the heady 1920s, when the Social Democratic government began building such facilities, improving the quality of life of the population was high on the agenda.

Architecture and infrastructure

The construction of the Sandleitenhof is in an open style, with a flowing transition between the inner courtyards and the street. Several important architects, including Otto Schönthal and Emil Hoppe, were responsible for the planning, while the project management was in the hands of Josef Bittner. With a total area of ​​68,581 square meters, the complex houses spacious green areas, playgrounds and important infrastructure such as a large people's house, a kindergarten, a public library and even cultural facilities such as a cinema and theater hall.

In the best times, around 5,000 people lived in Sandleitenhof, today there are around 4,000. Life here is characterized by a wide range of leisure activities, and leisure options such as the congress park and the congress pool, opened in 1928, ideally complement the living options. Art also plays a role, as shown by the sculptures by Heinrich Scholz and the murals by Artur Brusenbauch, which beautify the cityscape.

A celebration for everyone

To celebrate the anniversary there will be a colorful festival program from June 12th to 14th. The kick-off will take place on Thursday with a joint breakfast and the opening of an exhibition entitled “Resistance in Ottakring”, which shows letters from resistance fighters and survivors. This can be seen in the arcades of the Sandleitenhof until the end of June. Another exhibition entitled “Sandleitner Devotional Pictures” is dedicated to the portraits of 50 residents of the complex.

On Friday, visitors can look forward to a festive concert by the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, accompanied by musical contributions from numerous groups. There will also be a tour of the residential complex with architect Kurt Smetana on Friday. Saturday also offers something interactive with a hands-on program accompanied by the artist Hanna Schimek and Stefan Huber from the Austrian Film Museum. The program is rounded off on Saturday evening with a reading by the author Ishraga Mustafa, followed by the presentation of amateur films from Ottakring that document the lives of the people there. A final film, “The Green Cockatoo,” will bring the celebrations to a fitting end.

The Sandleitenhof is not only an architectural masterpiece, but also a living part of Vienna's history, connecting the past with the present and embodying the spirit of the post-war city. The History Wiki documents how this building survived the great stress of the Second World War and was comprehensively renovated after 1995. The socio-political impact of the construction should not be underestimated, because the Sandleitenhof is a symbol of the social housing projects that make Vienna what it is today, a city that always offers space for everyone.

For further information about the interesting history of social housing in Vienna you can also visit Vienna.info Look around where you can find out more about social housing and their important architects.