If you’re riding the U4 toward Heiligenstadt and looking out the window, you’re sure to recognize this familiar sight. A massive, vacant tower looms over the Döbling skyline; the windows have long been boarded up, and the building looks completely abandoned. The former APA Tower has now stood empty and fallen into disrepair for an incredible 21 years. But now, Vienna’s most famous haunted house is finally being given a whole new lease on life.
A massive art project for Döbling
The City of Vienna, the property owner Buwog, and the local street art organization Calle Libre have joined forces to completely transform the dreary tower at Gunoldstraße 14. To do so, they brought Spanish urban street artist Okuda San Miguel directly to Austria.
He will cover the entire west facade of the building with his geometric, luminous patterns. The result will be a 1,100-square-meter mural, which, upon completion, will be the largest of its kind in the entire country. The work will be titled “In Equality.”
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More than just colorful paint: With its extreme vibrancy, Okuda San Miguel’s artwork is intended to send a powerful message of diversity, tolerance, and openness. Currently, massive scaffolding is already being erected on the huge building wall so that the artist can get started safely. In about three weeks, the gigantic mural on the 52-meter-high building should then be completely finished. The official presentation of the finished work is on May 7, 2026.
From abandoned tower to new neighborhood hub
Originally, the massive high-rise housed the Austrian news agency APA before it was completely vacated in 2005. Vienna’s City Councilor for Planning, Ulli Sima, is certainly glad that things are finally moving forward with this long-standing vacant property. Over the next few years, the entire 2.5-hectare site is set to feature new housing, jobs, and fresh green spaces for the neighborhood.
The best view of the new splash of color: Since the building is located right next to the Heiligenstadt transit hub, you’ll have the best view of the painted facade when you step directly out of the station building. Once the scaffolding comes down in a few weeks, the best spot to photograph the colorful scene in its full glory is from Muthgasse. Until then, it’s worth taking a short walk to check out the progress of the work.
