bthere: Inflight Magazine Brussels Airlines

If your idea of Vienna is chamber music and b aroque buildings, think again. Austria’s capital is now known for its futuristic subways, contempor ary architecture and techno music. Angela Tranfa reports on the transformation of this traditional city

Futuristic subways, aluminium and crystal, electronic music and modern buildings: high-tech Vienna is catching on. The historic capital of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire is making way for an all-new techno Vienna, born in the age of digital technology. The combination of Imperial tradition and creative innovation has transformed it into a sought-after destination for tourists from around the world. Its vibrant cultural scene, splendid musical tradition and ever-growing artistic heritage attract millions of visitors every year.

Vienna’s historic treasures need no introduction. The city is one of Europe’s foremost cultural centres with 50 theatres, 100 museums and innumerable music and dance festivals. Nevertheless, the Viennese never cease to invest in and promote the latest cutting-edge projects.

Futuristic Donau City looks out over old Vienna from across the Danube River. The ultra-modern buildings in this technological district seem to have come from a time far ahead of our own. Meanwhile, the restoration of the Gasometers, the former municipal gas tanks originally built in 1896, was also influenced by technology. All four of these buildings were totally restructured and are today filled with offices, apartments, shops, bars and restaurants, and are connected by futuristic sky bridges.

The development of Vienna’s architecture is not the only indication of change: the socio-cultural life of the city is also undergoing a techno boom.

Personalised music is an important feature. House and techno can be downloaded from the internet in various stores throughout Vienna. The best known is the Haus der Musik Sound Museum (Seilerstätte 30, tel. (0)1 51648, hdm.at), where visitors can immerse themselves in a virtual world of music, perhaps spending the day as a conductor of a computer-generated orchestra, or recording their own versions of famous opera extracts to take home as a CD souvenir.

Another place where art and technology mingle freely is the MuseumsQuartier, a thriving cultural district full of museums and galleries, which together house a vast collection of modern art. Every museum in the district stays open late at least one evening a week, giving the public a chance to view art after sunset.

This April the MuseumsQuartier hosts Vienna’s ‘Modepalast’ fashion show (April 12–15, www.modepalast.com). Showcasing the latest clothing, jewellery and accessories created by over 50 young international designers, the Fashion Palace will also include DJ lounges and parties of all kinds to inspire and entertain guests.

Among its many attractions the MuseumsQuartier district is home to the Leopold Museum (Museumsplatz 1, tel. (0)1 52570), with its collections by Klimt and Schiele; the Kunsthalle (Museumsplatz 1, tel. (0)1 5 2189 1201), which houses contemporary and multimedia artworks from all over the world; and MUMOK, the Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig – or ‘Ludwig Foundation Museum of Modern Art’ (Museumsplatz 1, tel. (0)1 52500) – which houses Austria’s largest modern art collection. MUMOK is currently hosting the ‘Concept. Action. Language.’ exhibition, which examines the links between pop art, fluxus and conceptual art, and runs till October 23 (mumok.at).

Quartier21 (quartier21.mqw.at) is another exhibition and event space in the district that allows multimedia artists to display their work free from the usual council constraints. Around 40 self-funded original exhibitions are active in the centre at any one time.

All these innovations form part of daytime Vienna; after dark the city’s nightlife holds many other attractions for house and techno fans. The union between dance music and technology has led to the creation of a host of Viennese clubs, such as WUK, Subzero and Fluc Mensa, to name just a few. This is where some of Europe’s hottest and best-known DJs strut their stuff. Most DJs play in many different clubs, but the renowned Electric Indigo and Monochrome can both be found in residence at Quartier21.

Many think that the in-place to see and be seen is Flex (located on Donaukanal, and accessed via Augartenbrücke). Top local DJ duo Kruder and Dorfmeister are often found behind the decks here. Alternatively, the sharp geometric minimalism of Club Passage (Burgring Ecke, Babenbergerstrasse, sunshine.at) is considered the more chic choice by many of those in the know.

A different atmosphere can be found at VEKKS (Zentagasse 26, tel. (0)1 812 7415), which has gone from being a speakeasy to an impressive gallery for the visual arts. The centre also features live music on the first floor, provided by Balkan artists playing traditional folk instruments.

Even the once staid Vienna State Opera is getting in on the modernist act. The fact that it now hosts concerts by leading rock acts such as REM and is happy to host DJ remixes of ‘Swan Lake’ is a sure sign that as long as the new doesn’t interfere with the old, Vienna will continue to embrace the possibilities of the high-tech revolution.

Where to stay

Whether you prefer designer chic or traditional style, check out our roundup of hotels

Das Triest Hotel (Wiedner Hauptstrasse 12, tel. (0)1 589180, dastriest.at). Vienna’s most established boutique hotel – a former coach station given the (svelte and stylish) Terence Conran treatment. Central location.

The Levante Parliament (Auerspergstrasse 9, tel. (0)1 535 4515, www.thelevante.com). A temple to contemporary design housed in a 1908 Viennese Bauhaus building. Stark but elegant, guestrooms and suites are complemented by a gallery and art installations.

DO & CO Hotel Vienna (Stephansplatz 12, tel. (0)1 24188, www.doco.com). An architecturally adventurous steel-and-glass wonder located right opposite St Stephen’s Cathedral. Luxurious facilities, sixth floor bar (with majestic views) and acclaimed fusion cuisine restaurant.

Hotel Kaiserin Elisabeth (Weihburggasse 3, tel. (0)1 51526, kaiserinelisabeth.at). Charming, historic (if a little eccentric) town house steeped in Viennese tradition. Mozart, Wagner and Kokoschka have all stayed here.

Where to eat

Savour contemporary or classic cuisine with our round-up of recommended Viennese restaurants

Fabios (Tuchlauben 6, tel. (0)1 532 2222, fabios.at). A sleek, Michelin-starred venue for Vienna’s swish urbanites.

Steirereck im Stadtpark (Am Heumarkt 2a, tel. (0)1 713 3168, steirereck.at). Gastronomic temple regarded by many as perhaps the finest restaurant in Austria.

Osterreich im MAK (Stubering 5, tel. (0)1 714 0121). Star chef’s creation located in a neo-classical hall next to the Museum of Applied Arts. Traditional Viennese cuisine with a twist.

Kim Kocht (Lustkandlgasse 6, tel. (0)1 319 0242, kimkocht.at). An intimate restaurant in the heart of Vienna’s nightclub district. Quirky cooking and zingy seafood.

Zum Finsteren Stern (Schulhof 8, tel. (0)1 535 8152). Traditional rustic dishes served in the Palais Collalto, where Mozart first performed, aged six.

Immervoll (Weihburggasse 17, tel. (0)1 513 5288). Tiny (15 tables) and trendy destination restaurant located off Kärntner Strasse, with a giant wood-burning stove. Beloved of Helmut Lang, hipsters, and always (as the name suggests) full.

Ein Wiener Salon (Stubenbastei 10, tel. (0)660 654 2785, einwienersalon. com). ‘Passion not perfection’ from a fashionista and draughtsman in their media-hangout restaurant providing eclectic cuisine.

St Josef (Mondscheingasse 10, tel. (0)1 526 6818). A fully organic vegetarian restaurant and shop if you need a change from classic Austro-Hungarian cuisine.

Vienne Techno

Vienne, capitale historique de l’ancien Empire austro-hongrois est en train de se transformer en une toute nouvelle ville ‘techno’, à la convergence de la tradition impériale et de l’innovation contemporaine. Aujourd’hui, elle est devenue une destination très prisée des touristes.

Dans la Donau City, les immeubles ultra modernes nous font faire un bond dans le futur. Les Gazomètres (anciennes cuves de gaz de la municipalité construites en 1896) ont été reconverties en bureaux, appartements, magasins, bars et restaurants, et elles sont reliées par des ponts aériens futuristes.

L’univers musical affiche aussi un boom techno. A la Haus der Musik, un musée du son, les visiteurs peuvent s’immerger dans un monde virtuel, diriger un orchestre par ordinateur et ramener un souvenir sous forme de CD.

L’art et la technologie se mélangent en toute liberté dans le MuseumsQuartier, un environnement culturel qui regorge de musées et de galeries. Ce mois-ci, le quartier accueillera le ‘Modepalast’ de Vienne, un défilé de mode avec des prestations de DJ et des festivités en tout genre destinées à inspirer et à divertir les invités.

Et pourquoi ne pas s’aventurer dans le Musée Leopold, où sont présentées des réalisations contemporaines et multimédia à la Kunsthalle, ou dans Quartier21, espace consacré à une subculture sophistiquée avec quelque 40 expositions d’artistes en résidence?

La rencontre entre la dance music et la technologie a débouché sur la création de clubs, où le soir, les DJ en pleine effervescence performent leurs enregistrements les plus tendances de toute l’Europe. Flex est l’endroit in du moment, là où tout le monde va, mais certains préfèrent le côté minimaliste du Club Passage, plus chic selon eux.

L’opéra de Vienne n’est pas épargné par la vague moderniste et l’on peut y assister à des concerts de groupes rocks bien connus comme REM, et à des DJ remixes du ‘Lac des Cygnes’. Visiblement, Vienne est sur la bonne voie pour s’imposer comme la ville de la révolution high-tech.

Wenen gaat techno

De historische Oostenrijkse hoofdstad maakt plaats voor een gloednieuw technologisch Wenen. Een combinatie van keizerlijke traditie en creatieve innovatie toverde de stad om tot een hippe toeristische bestemming.

De ultramoderne gebouwen in de stad aan de Donau lijken wel uit de toekomst te komen. De Gasometers (de vroegere gastanks van de stad uit 1896) herbergen nu kantoren, appartementen, winkels, cafés en restaurants en zijn verbonden via futuristische luchtbruggen.

Ook de muziek speelt het technologisch. In het klankmuseum Haus der Musik ontdekken bezoekers een virtuele wereld, waarin ze een computergestuurd orkest kunnen dirigeren en als aandenken een cd mee naar huis nemen.

Kunst en technologie verbroederen in het MuseumsQuartier, een bruisende culturele buurt met talloze musea en galerieën. Deze maand laten gasten zich inspireren en vermaken door de Weense modeshow ‘Modepalast’, met dj-lounges en parties.

Of wat dacht je van het Leopold Museum, de Kunsthalle met zijn moderne en multimediakunstwerken, of Quartier21, waar tegelijk zo’n 40 zelfgefinancierde tentoonstellingen worden georganiseerd?

Het nachtelijke samenspel tussen dancemuziek en technologie resulteerde in talrijke Weense clubs, waar de grootste Europese dj’s hun ding doen. Dé place to be is Flex, hoewel voor anderen het minimalistische decor van Club Passage dan weer de coolste keuze is.

Zelfs de Weense Staatsopera volgt in het modernistische spoor, met concerten van wereldberoemde bands zoals REM, en djremixen van het Zwanenmeer. Wenen gaat duidelijk voor de hoogtechnologische revolutie!