Corridor+

The planned expansion of the Südbahn-railway is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the southern part of the Vienna metropolitan area. It will have a lasting impact on the region, affecting not only transport, but also spatial, environmental and social factors. However, it is evident that transport projects are often conceived and planned primarily from a technical perspective, with insufficient consideration given to their spatial implications.

It is this observation that motivated this study, which aims to view the Südbahn not merely as transport infrastructure, but as part of a complex spatial fabric. The intention was to view the challenges associated with the expansion as an opportunity, opening up new perspectives for integrated development along the corridor. The study also aimed to encourage further consideration of selected interfaces between infrastructure and the surrounding area during the ongoing planning process and to ensure they are designed to a high spatial and functional standard.

This work was produced as part of the 'Corridor+‘ integrated design course at TU Wien, conceived as an experimental laboratory bringing together different scales, disciplines and questions. The central focus was on how infrastructure, urban development and open spaces could be designed together, and the spatial qualities that might result.

This publication documents the process. Rather than presenting finished solutions, it offers a collection of approaches, design concepts and motifs. It also aims to stimulate discussion on how large-scale infrastructure projects can be approached more as an integrative design task in future.