Lorenz Consult is redesigning the economic courtyard and the hospital pharmacy of Klinik Favoriten

Lorenz Consult is redesigning the economic courtyard and the hospital pharmacy of Klinik Favoriten. (Photo credit: © Lorenz Consult ZT GmbH)

(Photo credit: © Lorenz Consult ZT GmbH)

On behalf of the Vienna Health Network, the Economic Courtyard and the hospital pharmacy located within it are being redesigned, expanded, and modernized on the Klinikum Favoriten site. The overall planning services are entrusted to ARGE Domenig & Wallner ZT GmbH, vd Architekten ZT-GmbH, and Lorenz Consult ZT GmbH. The latter are also responsible for structural engineering, building services planning, measurement, control, and regulation technology, as well as planning and construction site coordination.

The Klinikum Favoriten will be redesigned in several construction phases while remaining operational until 2034. The renovation of the Economic Courtyard marks the beginning of the second construction phase, scheduled for the period from 2025 to 2029.

The Renovation of the Economic Courtyard

As part of the site development, the Economic Courtyard will not only be expanded but also adapted to future challenges and requirements. Due to the future co-utilization of multiple sites, including the Hietzing Clinic (KHI), Penzing Clinic (KPE), and Ottakring Clinic (KOR), as well as connection to the driverless transport system (FTS), there will be a significant increase in storage and buffer areas as well as workplaces in the infrastructure management (IFM) sector. Special focus is placed on the hospital pharmacy.

The hospital pharmacy located within the building, which supplies pharmaceutical products to the hospital and third parties, will be renovated while in operation and expanded with a high-bay warehouse and an additional cytostatics production area according to current standards. It is essential to comply with legal requirements for pharmaceutical productions according to GMP and GDP, which mandate cleanrooms of class D and isolators of class A.

The Economic Courtyard, which is being renovated while in ongoing operation, comprises a total of six floors and a gross floor area of approximately 20,000 square meters. The goal is to provide the necessary additional space without extensions or additions. This will be achieved through restructuring the functional distribution within the existing building and installing additional ceilings in areas no longer requiring two-story spaces. An elevator group will be constructed in the second inner courtyard to connect to the FTS logistics system, avoiding further restrictions on the already limited existing space. Additionally, an inner courtyard on the lowest level will be fully enclosed, as logistics areas necessary for integration into the driverless transport system are located here. From level 01 onwards, the courtyard will only be accessible in the area of the new elevators and the associated vestibule.

The planning phase for the project began in October 2022. In November 2024, the tendering process for the executing services was initiated, marking a significant step in the project timeline. Completion of all renovation works is scheduled for March 2029.

The Challenges

"One of the biggest challenges is the phased renovation while the facility remains operational, which leads to quite complex construction management," explains Christian Lorenz, Managing Director of Lorenz Consult. This particularly applies to the adjustments in the pharmacy, which must meet the highest pharmaceutical standards (GMP). This requires precise planning and execution to ensure the high standards for air quality, temperature, and humidity control are maintained.