VIENNA – AUSTRIA
Model: CIAO HNP
Technology: S4
Date: September 2025
Client: Vienna Municipality
Description:
In recent years the city of Vienna has invested heavily in the quality of public spaces, with particular attention to sustainability and accessibility, as well as to the well-being of citizens and tourists. Indeed, in 2024, the project Pier 22 was born. This is a huge urban requalification intervention aimed at giving a new life to the right shore of the Donauinsel, the artificial island more than 20 km long situated in the Danube, which today is one of the most frequented and loved places of the Austrian capital. This initiative focuses in particular on the area formerly known as the “Sunken City”: more than 13.000 square metres of public space to be transformed in a contemporary green oasis combining relaxation and sports areas, culture and social life.
Also SANO2 is participating in this effort: we have been asked to put into place a new automatic public toilet to guarantee comfort, safety and accessibility to all users. The model installed is the CIAO HNP, equipped with S4 self-cleaning technology. It is located in a multiple hub which includes three units: a public toilet for people with reduced mobility (PRM), one that is accessible for able-bodied people and a urinal. The load-bearing structure, made of vibrated reinforced concrete, was produced by Prefabbricati Santerno, as was the external cladding in the NEW YORK design, proposed by SANO2 and characterised by clean lines and minimalist aesthetics. The exterior finishes in insulated RAL 9002 galvanised sheet metal ‒ combined with stainless steel sandwich sliding doors ‒ contribute to create a coherent and durable architectural element that blends discreetly into the surrounding landscape.
This time, the attention that SANO2 has always given to customers’ requests has focused particularly on the design of the public toilet H, for people with motor disabilities ‒ which specifically complies with the Austrian standard ÖNORM B 1600. This defines the requirements to make the public spaces accessible, safely and autonomously even by people with reduced mobility. Among the standards to be observed are specific dimensions that allow for wheelchair manoeuvring, the height of interior equipments, minimum door width (85-90 cm), non-slip materials and visual and tactile signage. Full compliance with this regulation translates into an act of care and professionalism on the part of SANO2 towards the customer, but, above all, it takes the form of a truly accessible and inclusive space.
Inside each unit, every single detail ensures a high level of hygiene and resistance: fire-resistant porcelain stoneware cladding, non-slip flooring, stainless steel sanitary fixtures, unbreakable mirrors, no-touch dispensers, and integrated emergency systems. The heart of this innovation is its S4 technology, a guarantee of complete hygiene after each use: deep washing and disinfection of toilet bowl and sink, automatic drying of the seat surface, floor disinfection through high pressure nozzles and – if required in this model – an overnight ozone-based sanitisation with SANO SAFE ® system. This is a set of solutions which results in a comfort to be compared to your own home bathroom and, at the same time, provides maximum hygienic safety, especially in this post-Covid-19 period.
In a project like Pier22, each element has its role: bathing resorts invite people to rest and relax, the sports areas encourage them to keep moving, and the green areas improve socialisation. Public toilets are another piece in this great mosaic and, if well designed, they are essential to the regeneration process, helping make people’s experience comfortable and barrier-free.
The hygienic facility designed by SANO2 brings to Danube Island a service which not only is functional; but is also a clear example of how paying careful attention to accessibility and the quality of public spaces can be seen in even the smallest details.
