Westfield Donau Zentrum

Westfield Donau Zentrum (Donau Zentrum until 2021) is a shopping mall in Vienna’s 22nd district of Donaustadt. It is Vienna’s largest shopping center and entertainment center (Urban Entertainment Center) with the restaurant section the Kitchen, which is attached to the Westfield Donau Zentrum.

Young and old can take a relaxing stroll and enjoy a respite from the rush and bustle of everyday life in the elegant industrial setting of the center in the middle of Vienna’s famous Donaustadt area. The Westfield Donau Zentrum, with its 262 shops, is a veritable shopping paradise for both locals and tourists. Top multinational brands meet selected regional brands here. Gourmets will find a diverse gastronomic offering in the new The Kitchen gastro section. A colorful daily entertainment program is also available for younger visitors.

Shopping in the DZ is purely for the sake of shopping. It’s no surprise that the center is so well-liked. Divided across three buildings, you will find everything you need for daily living in a diverse range of products and services. The most well-known brands are offered in the double room: whether it is apparel, accessories, shoes, technology, household goods, or decorating, the double room offers a style for everyone. A wider range of options is hard to come by in Vienna.

Armani Exchange
Betty Barclay
Bershka
Benetton
Birkenstock
Carlings
Footlocker
G-Raw
Hollister
Dresses Bauer
Peek&Cloppenburg

Hervis, Nike, Runners Point, Jack Wolfskin, and Schöffel Lowa are just a few of the many sports and outdoor stores that provide sports fans the latest trends and equipment for any possible activity.

The Cineplexx provides unrivaled movie experience with 13 state-of-the-art and fully digitized auditoriums (8 of which are equipped with the newest 3D technology), an IMAX® cinema hall, Dolby Atmos sound system, and state-of-the-art D-Box motion seats. The Cineplexx in the Danube Centre guarantees to provide the right cinema experience for any taste with its diverse choice of Movie Nights.

The mall provides fully equipped baby changing rooms and free prams for families. The large play area “Magic Garden” with an XL climbing tree, the supervised children’s world “Attic Magic” and the in-house children’s movie ensure that children have a lot of fun and diversity. This makes shopping a fun activity for the entire family.

Vienna’s largest shopping center also has the following highlights and services for both young and old:

Taxi
Newspaper rental
Magic Garden
Lockers
Goodies
Children’s book rental
Reception
Quiet areas
Baby changing rooms
Cloakroom
ATM
First aid
Photo booths

The former “Danube Plex” in THE KITCHEN has undergone a comprehensive redesign and has been renamed. It now boasts a variety of pubs and restaurants, making it a popular leisure destination and meeting place. The Kitchen offers a wide variety of dining options, including fast food, burger joints, Italian, Asian, and traditional local cuisine. Guests are treated to a delightful culinary experience with an array of delicious dishes to choose from.

Visitors to the Danube Centre have access to four multi-storey car parks, offering a combined total of approximately 3,000 parking spaces. The initial two hours of parking are complimentary. Premium members who possess the Donau Zentrum VIP Card can park for up to four hours without any charge.

History

The shopping center was initially opened in 1975 with a sales area of 22,800 m². The transformational forces at play, however, were relentless. Over the years, this retail haven underwent a metamorphosis of staggering proportions. Today, it stands as a sprawling testament to commercial grandeur, flaunting an awe-inspiring sales area of 100,750 m².

Within its sprawling confines, a microcosm of consumer delights unfurls – a tapestry woven from 262 retail, catering, and entertainment establishments, sprawled across an expanse of approximately 225,000 m². It encompasses not just your typical shopping domains but also harbors a double room and an enclave known as The Kitchen, designed to satiate even the most discerning culinary tastes.

The Danube Centre has undergone multiple expansions since 1975. The extension and rebuilding of the project took place from 2009 to October 2010. In the autumn of 2021, the center underwent a name change from Donau Zentrum to Westfield Donau Zentrum. In September 2021, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) announced the designation of six locations across four European markets as Westfield Destinations.

One of the pivotal chapters in this retail saga unfolded with the inauguration of a new building in October 2010, replete with over 60 novel emporiums. This structural marvel, covering a 28,000 m² area, single-handedly ushered in a renaissance, contributing significantly to the augmented sales acreage.

The sculptural masterpiece known as Sunbeam, towering 2010 meters high, was unveiled in mid-October 38. Its ethereal purpose is to enhance the portrayal of water droplets glistening on the outer visage of the southern section of the Westfield Danube Centre.

While standing across the Kagran metro station, one couldn’t help but marvel at the LED tarpaulins that cloaked the facade of the Westfield Danube Centre. This dynamic feature bestowed upon the Center the remarkable ability to change hues, offering a visual spectacle like no other.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield invested approximately 105 million euros in expanding the Westfield Danube Centre. A further 45 million euros were judiciously allocated for the modernization of the existing shopping enclave.

This grand transformation was the result of a harmonious ballet between architectural virtuosos. Dunnett Craven, the renowned London-based architectural firm with an illustrious history of crafting retail properties, collaborated seamlessly with the Viennese planning office of the esteemed architect and builder, Franz Riedl, to breathe life into this transformative project.

In the realm of culinary offerings, The Kitchen, formerly known as Donau Plex, underwent a significant renovation in 2012. During this process, the gastronomic offerings were enhanced, and the cinemas received a substantial upgrade, now boasting state-of-the-art IMAX technology.

However, the course of progress seldom runs smooth. On the somber morning of March 9, 2019, a devastating fire engulfed the Donau Center, necessitating a comprehensive 12-hour operation by the fire department. The professionalism of the fire brigade was underscored by their declaration of alert level 4. The Kagran metro station wing bore the brunt, with four shops, a veterinarian’s office, and even a plasma center succumbing to the flames. Preliminary investigations suggest that the conflagration was ignited by construction work.

A subsequent chapter in this tumultuous narrative unfolded on the afternoon of April 20, 2020, when yet another fire reared its fiery head. This time, the backdrop was the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had shrouded the majority of the shopping center in a veil of closure. The fire, despite the unique challenges it posed, was eventually tamed, marking a courageous victory over adversity.

Throughout these trials, the valor of the firefighters was exemplary. Regrettably, one among them sustained injuries during the line of duty. Miraculously, there were no civilian casualties to lament.

Vienna, Austria