Janis Joplin and Vienna

Have you heard about the Janis-Joplin-Promenade and the HoHo Wien in Vienna? In Seestadt Aspern, the new modern neighborhood in the 22. district of Vienna there is a street called Janis-Joplin-Promenade. At number 24 stands a remarkable wooden multi-story building, the HoHo Wien (HolzHochhaus Wien). Why Janis Joplin and Vienna?

Usually streets are given names of men, but rarely of women. Modern age is also the age of women’s rights and recognition. Seestadt is one of the biggest modern urban projects in Europe. Investor is Günter Kerbler and the project development is by Caroline Palfy.

New and modern! 20 streets are named after women. Some of them are:

Ada Lovelace (1815-1852), English mathematician and writer
Édith Piaf (1915-1963) French singer
Else Frenkel-Brunswik (1908 – 1958), US-Austrian psychologist.
Janis Lyn Joplin (1943-1970), US-American rock and blues singer.
Hannah Arendt (1906 –1975), German-born American political theorist.
Maria Augusta von Trapp (1905-1987), Austrian singer and writer, The Trapp Family, Sound of Music.
Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), French writer, philosopher, feminist.
Madame d’Ora (1881-1963), Austrian photographer.

Until 2028 on the former Aspern airfield, Vienna’s airfield from the interwar period, around 10,500 apartments for 20,000 people are to be built. Facilities for 15,000 office workplaces and 5,000 jobs in trade, science, research and education are to be created. There is a school, a student hostel, a vegetable market, physicians’ offices and other infrastructure for a comfortable life. Metro line U2 connects Seestadt with the city centre of Vienna. After a journey of 20 minutes over the Danube, you arrive at an artificial lake, at Seestadt (in German See means lake, a city at the lake). A large park around the lake offers many recreation possibilities for the inhabitants and gives special charm to this new neighborhood.

Seestadt Vienna red balconies

Seestadt Vienna blue facade house

Seestadt Vienna colorful balconies

Seestadt Vienna living at the park

Seestadt Vienna apartment buidling

Seestadt Vienna apartments at the park

End of 2019 a remarkable wooden multi-story building, the so called HoHo Wien was erected. 75% of the façade of this 85,5 meters high building is made out of wood, ceilings and walls are out of spruce wood.

It houses apartments, restaurants, a fitness studio and a hotel. It is the highest building in Seestadt.

Next time you visit Vienna and are interested in modern urban development, let me take you on a special photography tour to Seestadt.