| Ringturm | |
|---|---|
 Ringturm from the Donaukanal | |
 Interactive map of Ringturm | |
| General information | |
| Status | Office building |
| Type | Skyscraper |
| Location | Vienna, Austria |
| Coordinates | 48°13′1″N16°22′13″E / 48.21694°N 16.37028°E /48.21694; 16.37028 |
| Construction started | 1953 (1953) |
| Completed | 1955 (1955) |
| Opening | 1955 (1955) |
| Owner | Vienna Insurance Group |
| Height | 73 m (240 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 23 |
| Floor area | 12,000 m2 (130,000 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Erich Boltenstern |
Ringturm (Ring Tower) is a prominent skyscraper inVienna, Austria, and is the headquarters of theVienna Insurance Group. It was built from 1953 to 1955 after a design by Erich Boltenstern at theSchottenring. The tower is 73 m (240 ft) tall, with 12,000 m2 (130,000 sq ft) of office space, and is the second highest building within the ViennaRingstraße, after theStephansdom. It is a venue for architecture exhibitions, and is known for being turned into a piece of art annually, wrapped in cloth designed by notable artists includingRobert Hammerstiel,Xenia Hausner,Arnulf Rainer andMihael Milunović.
TheRingturm tower was built from 1953 to 1955 after a design byErich Boltenstern [de] at theSchottenring, part of the ViennaRingstraße.[1][2] The tower of 73 m (240 ft) was an innovative project when Vienna was reconstructed after World War II.[3] The building was erected on a property that held the only building of the Schottenring demolished in the war.[2] At 23 floors, it is the second highest building within the Vienna Ringstraße, after theStephansdom.[1][2] The building has 12,000 m2 (130,000 sq ft) of office space, and is the headquarters of theVienna Insurance Group. It also houses offices of theWiener Stadtwerke [de].[2] The facade and some other parts were reconstructed in 1996.[4]
The name was found by a competition. It was chosen from 6,502 suggestions, including City-Haus, Gutwill-Haus, Haus der Gegenseitigkeit, Hoch-Eck, Neues Hochhaus and Sonnblick-Haus.[2]
On top of the tower is aweather beacon (Wetterleuchtturm) 20 m (66 ft) in height. Its 117 lamps (39 white, red and green) indicate weather predictions for the following day by partly blinking and moving combinations. It is connected to the ZAMG (Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik), the centre for weather forecast on theHohe Warte. The top has twoaircraft warning lights.[2]
Beginning in 1998, architectural exhibitions have been displayed in the entrance hall free of charge. A seriesArchitektur im Ringturm is focused on architecture of Austria, Central Europe and Eastern Europe. Regular television series of the ORF have been produced in the building, includingLebenskünstler [de] withHelmut Zilk[5] andKabarett im Turm [de].[6]
Since 2006, the Ringturm has been transformed into a piece of art each summer by being wrapped in cloth designed by prominent artists from Austria and Eastern Europe.[1] The cloth consists of 30 pieces, each 36 m (118 ft) wide and 63 m (207 ft) long.[7]
The projects have included:[1]
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| International | |
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| Geographic | |
