Who plans something like this?

No greenery: sweltering heat in front of the district office

The square in front of the Donaustadt district office is a real heat hotspot.(Bild: Grüne Wien/Heidi Sequenz)

The whole city is sweating - but a concrete wasteland on Doktor Adolf-Schärf-Platz in front of the district office in Donaustadt is now also causing heated tempers.

The sun is beating down mercilessly these days. It is hot and getting hotter. The heat is particularly noticeable in front of the newly built entrance to the district office in Donaustadt. The square is a glowing concrete desert.

The area in front of the newly constructed building is a treeless concrete desert. The streetcar station opposite is also in the blazing sun!

Heidi Sequenz, Gemeinderätin (Grüne)

There are no green spaces or even cooling shade here. Local councillor Heidi Sequenz (Greens) is also annoyed: "The area in front of the newly constructed building is a treeless concrete desert. The streetcar station opposite is also in the blazing sun!" But how did it get this far, and who planned it?

After all, the city has long since declared war on the heat islands in summer. New green spaces are to provide cooling everywhere except here. Perhaps they simply forgot about it?

The sun beats down mercilessly and heats up the asphalt. Trees were actually planned here in the dedication.(Bild: Grüne Wien/Heidi Sequenz)

The office of district head Ernst Nevrivy (SPÖ) refers the hot issue to the city's planning department (MA 21). In its statement, the department makes us sit up and take notice.

"The greening measures planned for this project, which was already completed in 2013, have not yet been fully implemented in this construction phase. On completion of the overall project, the owner plans to create significantly more green areas than are currently visible - some of them on intensively greened canopies," according to the district planning department. Will this cool down the square?