Common Space Pier 22: Soul, Mind and Body

Organised into three interconnected zones for Body, Mind and Soul, the project creates a recreational landscape where visitors can spend an entire day on the Danube Island: starting with a workout in the Future Fitness Zone, continuing with outdoor working or picnicking overlooking the water, and ending with swimming and sunbathing along the Danube. Open, inclusive and accessible throughout the year.

Organised into three interconnected zones for Body, Mind and Soul, Pier 22 creates a Common Space where visitors can spend an entire day on the Danube Island

Soul

The Soul zone offers a generous waterfront promenade and a natural bathing landscape that brings a sense of holiday into the city. Large timber decks with bathing ladders, sun loungers and eight 3 by 3m suspended nets above the water create diverse places for relaxing, gathering and spending time by the Danube. Colourful bathing platforms are scattered across the landscape like confetti, establishing spaces for sunbathing and everyday urban rituals along the waterfront. Riverbank planting, shallow water areas and public showers improve comfort and usability while creating direct access to the water throughout the entire area.

The Soul zone offers a generous waterfront promenade and a well-equipped bathing landscape that brings a sense of holiday into the city.

The seasonal Outdoor Café acts as the social hub of the zone, combining kiosk functions with shaded seating overlooking the bathing landscape.

Mind

The Mind zone introduces outdoor work and gathering spaces across green picnic landscapes and curved balconies hovering above the waterfront promenade. Shading pergolas, public Wi-Fi, lighting, smooth table surfaces and comfortable seating in soft pastel tones create high-quality Park-Working and picnic spaces with open views across the Danube, while nearby lockers with charging facilities support flexible use throughout the day. A variety of seating and table typologies — ranging from high standing tables and smaller work settings to long curved communal tables and narrow counters with rotating chairs — support both focused work and informal gatherings, providing space for almost 200 people to meet, work, or eat together in a relaxed public setting.

High-quality outdoor working and gathering spaces overlooking the water — open, public and accessible

Adjacent to the public park-working areas, the Inselrestaurant adds curved terraces and waterfront gastronomy as an additional offer within the zone.

Body

The Body features the Future Fitness Zone, conceived as a genuine public alternative to indoor fitness clubs by offering a well-equipped outdoor training environment open to all users and fitness levels.
The 14 multifunctional exercise stations, several of which offer adjustable resistance settings or are accessible for wheelchair users, support a wide range of activities including balance training, cardio, strength training, street workout and cross training in a joyful atmosphere.
Shaded by old trees, the area overlooks the Danube and the Vienna skyline across the river. A red rubber shock-absorbing surface, nearby lockers and drinking fountains create a comfortable training environment, while colour-coordinated benches provide spaces for resting and observing activities.

A free outdoor gym with river view – accessible to all

The close by Pier 22 Café acts as the social hub of the zone, directly connected to the sports field and the surrounding public training landscape

Landscape and Public Space

Across all three zones, the architectural design of Pier 22 creates one continuous public landscape. Flowing green topographies replace the former sealed concrete terraces, forming generous promenades, barrier-free connections and open spaces with clear orientation, integrated lighting and a strong sense of safety and accessibility.

Flowing green topographies replace the former sealed concrete terraces, forming generous promenades, barrier-free connections and open spaces oriented towards the water.

Curved forms, robust but high-quality furniture and carefully placed colour accents establish a distinct architectural identity that remains visually present throughout the year.

At the same time, the entire project is designed in response to the environmental conditions of the Danube Island.
As the Island is a vital part of Vienna’s flood protection infrastructure, parts of the island are deliberately flooded during high-water events in order to relieve pressure on the Danube and protect the city from overflow. The design of Pier 22 responds to these conditions through robust constructions and a resilient planting concept capable of withstanding extreme weathers. The severe flood event of September 2024 already served as a real-life test of these design strategies.

Returning to the Original Vegetation
Planting with year-round grasses, native perennials and new, resilient trees reconnects the site to the river’s floodplain landscape. Vegetation along the riverbank and across the slopes provides shade, improves the microclimate and strengthens biodiversity.

Planting with year-round grasses, native perennials and new, resilient trees reconnects the site to the river’s floodplain landscape.