‘Grätzloasen’: The Urban Oases Vienna Pays its Citizens to Build

Vienna, Austria is encouraging residents to build their own parklets, even funding the projects with up to €5,000 through its Local Agenda 21 initiative.

According to an article in The Guardian by Will Grimond, over 100 new parklets have popped up in the city since 2015. The process involves applying with the city for permission to build the parklets, known locally as Grätzloasen.

As Grimond points out, “Vienna consistently scores highly on environmental and livability rankings – even if its quality-of-life crown was nicked by Copenhagen in June. But these accolades obscure the fact that some districts are distinctly lacking in greenery, particularly in the centre-west of the city.” The parklet program is one way to help residents make their neighborhoods greener and more inviting. “Sabrina Halkic, the managing director of Local Agenda 21, describes them as an example of ‘tactical urbanism’ – low-cost, often citizen-led improvements to the built environment. She sees the grätzloasen as a gateway to further changes.”