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A. Rumpfhuber, M. Klein:
"Public Housing as City Branding - The Case of Viennaʼs Public Housing Model: a Creative Mode of City Branding in Times of Scarcity";
Talk: Branded Spaces, International Conferenc on Contemporary Branding, Karlshochschule International University; 2011-09-15 - 2011-09-16.

This paper will be reading the Vienna Public Housing Model as a highly efficient, yet unprecedented instrument, for city-branding that creates an added value in a twofold way: (1) It guarantees a controllable and sustainable urban development; (2) it produces a highly positive value of the City´s image beyond mere "social and politically correct engagement". In doing so, the Vienna Public Housing Model as marketing instrument operates in creative and subtle ways in establishing one of the highest living standards worldwide. Results: Drawing from an extensive empirical analysis from the ESF.ORG/HERA-funded research on the Vienna Public Housing Model we will be able to present our findings illustrated with extensive material. Our presentation will be encompassing a short introduction into the functioning of the branding-instrument "public housing". We will be speaking of the housing stock in the city and its role for the branding instrument, we will be touching upon the political background of the model, and we will be presenting best-practice cases of the model and its twofold effects - inside and outside of the City of Vienna. Conclusions: Public Housing as a branding instrument does not rely on an economy of abundance, but on the contrary, deals creatively with scarcities. The Vienna Public Housing Model therefore might become a role-model for a new and truly sustainable, inclusive branding instrument in times of a unstable financial situation.

Housing, Scarcity, Creativity, Branding, Cities