IBA Wien is an initiative by the City of Vienna focused on innovative solutions for affordable social housing, promoting sustainability and quality in urban development and community living.
IBA Wien is an initiative launched by the City of Vienna in 2016 to address the challenges of social housing in the face of global trends and urban growth. The organization focuses on finding innovative solutions for affordable, high-quality living spaces within a liveable city. Its mission is to tackle the complexities of social change, sustainability in neighborhoods, and the affordability of living. The project is structured around three main themes: New Social Neighborhoods, New Social Qualities, and New Social Responsibility. These themes aim to develop comprehensive and sustainable neighborhood development, address the changing requirements for housing, and redefine the instruments of subsidized housing. Under the direction of Kurt Hofstetter, IBA Wien has initiated various projects and processes that are shaping the future of social housing in Vienna. The organization has completed its initial phase of identifying innovative projects and is now focused on quality assurance and making its contributions visible through events such as "IBA ON SITE." IBA Wien has also engaged in educational initiatives, such as "IBA meets schools," which provides teaching materials for classrooms to promote understanding of social housing issues. The organization's work culminated in a presentation year in 2022, showcasing urban development and socially innovative projects in new building, redevelopment, and models for living together. Through its efforts, IBA Wien aims to strengthen Vienna's reputation as a pioneer in innovative housing and share its experiences with other European cities.