THE ICON VIENNA Vienna, Austria

Challenges and client brief

• Central, high traffic transit hub location
• Desire for state-of-the-art interfaces and seamless access
• Construction elevator as operational permanent system

Schindler solutions

• Security and destination control
• Schindler Ahead and myPORT in operation
• Schindler CLIMB Lift adapted to mid-rise use

The three towers of THE ICON VIENNA rise over Vienna Central station, one of the busiest transport hubs in Austria. The office towers – standing at 9, 17, and 24 floors tall respectively, are interconnected at the ground level by a large public space with a variety of retail and catering areas – lie at the heart of a new district taking shape in the center of Vienna.

THE ICON VIENNA opened in 2018, providing premium office space to legions of bankers, diplomats, and government workers. Everyone enters THE ICON VIENNA towers through the architecturally stunning ground floor shopping area, where sunlight pours in from geometric skylights. The three tower entrance halls are outfitted with perforated metal paneling. The elevator landings, doors, and cars give off a futuristic, high-tech vibe. There’s nothing misleading there: THE ICON VIENNA is a technological wonder.

Over 300 easy access points with Schindler myPORT

Imagine keyless, seamless access: people breezing through turnstiles, doors, and elevator landing floors. THE ICON VIENNA leverages myPORT to let occupants and visitors in through the building’s entrance turnstiles, with a single tap of their smartphone running the Schindler myPORT app.

After a change of ownership in 2018, the new owners of THE ICON VIENNA like the Schindler myPORT system so much that they asked us to install it throughout the building. The system now covers 120 access doors and 188 elevator terminals. Occupants and visitors can now request elevators directly from their smartphone anywhere in the building, and move through all secure areas seamlessly.

To make this possible, a network of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) beacons operate behind the scenes, coupled with fully customizable access profiles granting users entry to specific floors during specific hours. The only thing users notice is the ease with which they move through the building.

Secure access is a must for any premium office space. Michael Schadl, Schindler Austria’s tech wizard and Head of IoEE and Schindler PORT, integrated the building’s security access system with Schindler myPORT. “It was possible for us to bring security and access together with one card, one system, and one company – no other interfaces needed,” he said. Our customer was won over by the simplicity of it all.

THE ICON VIENNA had been designed and built with technology at its core – and we were able to make it even more high-tech after the building itself was sold. The vision that the new owners had for THE ICON VIENNA was of a tech-enabled building using the best of what the Internet of Things had to offer. Schindler Ahead fit into that vision perfectly, allowing for the building’s elevators to be remotely monitored and maintained, while providing smart and connected interfaces for the building’s management and tenants. Elevators were also fitted with Schindler Ahead Digital Media Services (DMS) displaying fully customizable image and video content.

The Schindler Ahead Digital Media Services (DMS) at THE ICON VIENNA show train, tram, and bus connections in real time. The building is therefore integrated into Vienna’s urban mobility system, linking vertical and horizontal mobility. "When I get in the elevator to go home, I can see if I need to run for my train or if I have time to visit the grocery store," commented an occupant.

The screens can also be used to broadcast a wide variety of information and can generate revenue through advertising sales. Schindler Ahead was adapted to each elevator car at ICON, with ten large size Schindler Ahead AdScreens, and four smaller Schindler Ahead MediaScreens in the fire elevators.

Up faster – Schindler CLIMB Lift

THE ICON VIENNA went up fast, with our Schindler CLIMB Lift helping to speed up construction. Schindler CLIMB Lift removes the need for temporary, slow construction elevators – instead the elevator system grows in-situ, floor-by-floor, as the building is constructed. Once construction is complete the ‘work’ elevator remains as a permanent fitting. This results in significant time and costs savings, helping to increase the efficiency of how people and goods move through the building during construction. Prior to THE ICON VIENNA, Schindler CLIMB Lift had only been used in high-rise projects, so more than just a few tweaks were needed. "We collaborated with our Ebikon headquarters and could leverage the experience of our colleagues in Sweden who were using Schindler CLIMB Lift with the Schindler 5500 series," Gerhard Ockermüller, THE ICON VIENNA project manager, explained. "We perfected the system and met the tight project schedule." THE ICON VIENNA also set a precedent for us – opening up the use of Schindler CLIMB Lift technology to a wider range of global projects.

We perfected the (Schindler CLIMB Lift) system and met the tight project schedule.

Gerhard Ockermüller, Schindler Project Manager for THE ICON VIENNA