Vienna honors Friederike Mayröcker: New community building in Margareten!

Vienna honors Friederike Mayröcker: New community building in Margareten!

On April 11, 2025, it was announced that the famous Austrian author Friederike Mayröcker would be the namesake of a new community building in Vienna. The construction project is located at Schönbrunner Straße 75 in the 5th district, Margareten, and is initiated by deputy mayor Kathrin Gaál and district leader Silvia Jankovic. Mayröcker, who was born in Vienna on December 20, 1924 and died on June 4, 2021, is one of the most important voices in Austrian literature.

The new community building is an eight-story, low-energy building that has created high-quality, affordable apartments. Each of the 15 new units will have its own outdoor area, be it in the form of a loggia, a balcony or a roof terrace. The allocation of apartments begins in June and the first tenants can move in in late summer. A modern ecological heating and hot water production system is complemented by a trio of heat pumps and a photovoltaic system, which contribute to the environmentally friendly concept of the project.

Initiatives in honor of Mayröcker

In addition to the new community building, there are other initiatives that commemorate Friederike Mayröcker. Among other things, Austria's first poets-in-residence program was launched. The reason for this is the legacy of Mayröcker, who wrote over 100 books, including poems, prose pieces and radio plays. The program, run by Literaturhaus Wien, awards five scholarships every year that enable poets to live and work in Mayröcker's former writing apartment on Zentagasse in the 5th district. Each scholarship runs for two months and comes with a monthly allowance of 2,000 euros.

The application deadline for the scholarships in 2026 runs from May 1st to 31st, 2025, and the jury for the award is made up of well-known writers. This forward-looking initiative underlines Mayröcker's influence on the literary scene and is a sign of respect for her unique work, which continues to inspire numerous authors today.

Further construction projects in Vienna

As part of the NEW community building program, another community building will also be built at Spengergasse 45. This project combines historical facades with modern living comfort and is expected to be ready for occupancy in spring 2027 with 21 apartments. A total of 28 NEW municipal buildings are currently under construction or planning in Vienna, of which 13 projects have already been successfully handed over and are helping to offer affordable rents and permanent contracts.

Mayröcker, who played an important role in German-language literature as part of the Vienna group, has received several awards, including the City of Vienna Prize for Literature in 1976 and the Georg Büchner Prize in 2001. Her works are not only literary works of art, but also reflect her intensive examination of human existence.

Given these new developments and the continued appreciation of Friederike Mayröcker, it is clear that her legacy lives on in many facets and continues to enrich Viennese culture.

For more information on this topic, please visit coverage on OTS, or browse through the program Literaturhaus Vienna as well as in the articles of Berlin newspaper.