DI Karl Grimm

DI Karl Grimm, trading as Karl Grimm Landschaftsarchitekten, is an Austrian landscape architecture practice based in Vienna. The firm was founded by Karl Grimm, who began working as an independent landscape planner in 1988 and later obtained the civil engineer (Ziviltechniker) authorisation for landscape planning in 1996. It operates as a private practice rather than a listed company, and its work is concentrated in Austria. The practice describes its mission as landscape architecture in harmony with nature. It designs open spaces that connect urban density with landscape breadth, developing sustainable and innovative design concepts that integrate ecological relationships with human needs. A central theme of its work is blue-green infrastructure: rainwater management, sponge-city principles and biodiversity-friendly planting are presented as core competencies. The firm accompanies projects from the first idea through planning and permitting to realisation, and also advises on approvals and funding applications. Its service portfolio includes object planning (Objektplanung), nature conservation, rainwater management and open-space planning (Freiraumplanung), supported by baseline surveys and analysis. Recent project references on its website include the redesign of Argentinierstraße as a bicycle street, the redesign of the Servitenviertel with Servitengasse and Grünentorgasse, and the redesign of a neighbourhood square in the Neues Landgut urban development area, several of which explicitly involve rainwater management. Karl Grimm himself has more than three decades of experience and is active in professional bodies. He has taught at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), the zt-akademie and FH Campus Wien. He has served as deputy chairman of the engineers' section of the Chamber of Civil Engineers for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland since 2022, and has been involved in committees of the Federal Chamber of Civil Engineers, Austrian Standards International, the Austrian Society for Landscape Planning and Landscape Architecture (ÖGLA), the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Europe and other technical associations. The practice presents itself as a specialist in sponge-city trees and public park design in Austria.

The practice traces its origins to 1988, when Karl Grimm began working independently as a landscape planner. In 1995 he passed the civil engineer (Ziviltechniker) examination, and in 1996 he received the Ziviltechniker authorisation as an engineering consultant for landscape planning. This established the professional basis for the firm's planning and advisory work in Austria. From 2003 onward, Karl Grimm combined practice with teaching, lecturing at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Universität für Bodenkultur), the zt-akademie and FH Campus Wien. Over the following decades the practice built a portfolio centred on public open spaces, parks and water-sensitive urban design, and it now presents more than 35 years of experience. Karl Grimm has held numerous professional roles. He was a board member of the Austrian Society for Landscape Planning and Landscape Architecture (ÖGLA) from 1990 to 2022, and served as Austrian delegate to the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) Europe from 2006 to 2022. Since 2022 he has been deputy chairman of the engineers' section of the Chamber of Civil Engineers for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland. He is also active in committees of the Federal Chamber of Civil Engineers, Austrian Standards International (committees 229 Green Space and 272 Integrated Water Management), the Research Association Road–Rail–Traffic (FSV, committee O06 Climate-fit Superstructures) and the Austrian Water and Waste Management Association (ÖWAV). The firm's recent work reflects a strong emphasis on climate adaptation. Its website highlights the redesign of Argentinierstraße as a bicycle street, the redesign of the Servitenviertel (Servitengasse and Grünentorgasse) and the redesign of a neighbourhood square in the Neues Landgut urban development area, with rainwater management featuring in several of these projects. The practice positions itself around blue-green infrastructure delivered 'from a single source', combining ecological, technical and social considerations from initial idea to realisation.

• 2022

  Becomes deputy chairman of the engineers' section of the Chamber of Civil Engineers for Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland.

• 2006

  Becomes Austrian delegate to IFLA Europe, serving until 2022.

• 2003

  Begins teaching at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, zt-akademie and FH Campus Wien.

• 1996

  Receives Ziviltechniker authorisation as an engineering consultant for landscape planning.

• 1995

  Passes the civil engineer (Ziviltechniker) examination.

• 1990

  Begins service as a board member of the Austrian Society for Landscape Planning and Landscape Architecture (ÖGLA), continuing until 2022.

• 1988

  Karl Grimm begins independent practice as a landscape planner.

Specialist landscape architecture practice focused on sustainable, ecologically and socially integrated open-space design, rainwater management and blue-green infrastructure in Austria.

• Object planning (Objektplanung)

  Detailed planning of open spaces and landscape architecture projects.

• Rainwater management

  Sponge-city and blue-green infrastructure concepts for water-sensitive urban design.

• Nature conservation

  Ecological planning and biodiversity-oriented design services.

• Open-space planning (Freiraumplanung)

  Planning of public and urban open spaces, parks and squares.

• Permit and funding support

  Support with approval procedures and funding applications.

1. 1Landschaftsarchitektur - Karl Grimmgrimm.co.at
2. 2Über uns - Karl Grimmgrimm.co.at
3. 3DI Karl Grimm - Wikidatawikidata.org