Rethinking Elderly Care
Vienna's €100M Haidehof House redefines elderly care with community-focused design
Vienna is growing: By 2040, Statistics Austria projects the city's population will reach 2.2 million. At that point, one in five residents will be 65 or older. As the city expands and life expectancy rises, so too does the demand for care and support services.
The new Haidehof House in Rzehakgasse, Simmering, is set to showcase what future care could look like. On Monday, Häuser zum Leben (Homes for Living) and the Sozialbau AG housing association unveiled the winning design for the planned new building. The original Haidehof House, now demolished, no longer met the structural or spatial standards of a modern care facility. Both its energy efficiency and infrastructure had fallen behind current technological standards, according to Häuser zum Leben. So what will the new build entail?
"With this project, we are deliberately breaking new ground in line with our Houses 2030+ Strategy," explains Christian Hennefeind, CEO of Häuser zum Leben. "We are integrating care, housing, and community life." In addition to over 280 care and support places, the new facility will feature public green spaces, a café, and a primary care center.
Plans include an open-ground-floor layout, a green forecourt, and a garden terrace. Leisure activities and an intergenerational club—offering programs for all interested residents—are also in the works, Häuser zum Leben reports. The surrounding neighborhood is expected to benefit as well. "The open spaces, inviting squares, and welcoming communal areas will create vibrant local hubs that foster community spirit, strengthen social cohesion, and enhance quality of life for all generations," says district chief Thomas Steinhart (SPÖ).
The concept is defined by openness: "In the past, there was a barrier—a fenced-off residential block where you couldn't enter or leave. The old building offered nothing to the neighborhood," recalls Peter Hacker (SPÖ), Vienna's executive city councilor for social affairs, describing the demolished Haidehof. "But we need to rethink care in the city."
"Fundamentally, we need more care capacity—but it must be redefined. People don't want to live in shoeboxes. Achieving this transformation is the challenge," Hacker told our website. He is confident that the term Häuser zum Leben is now truly being brought to life.
Construction to Begin in 2027
The new Haidehof House is the first project of its kind under the Houses 2030+ Strategy, implemented by the Fonds Soziales Wien (FSW) social welfare fund and the City of Vienna. Notably, the Sozialbau AG housing association—not Häuser zum Leben—will oversee construction. The project carries a €100 million price tag, with the city covering a quarter of the cost. Construction is slated to start in 2027, with the first residents expected to move in by 2030. Some future occupants are already known: once the new Haidehof House is complete, the next care facility transformation will begin.
More Projects in the Pipeline
The selected site is Maria Jacobi House in Landstraße. "Residents will be temporarily relocated here while renovation work is carried out in the third district," says Hacker. By that time, he adds, the next project will already be in planning—though its location has yet to be finalized.
