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Video: The construction site as a stage
In the U2 17-21 consortium, PORR is expanding the Vienna underground line U2. For a video shoot, we transformed the impressive construction sites into a unique stage.
Hundreds of people walk past it every day as if it wasn't even there. And even if they notice it, it's hard to imagine what's behind it. But when this inconspicuous door on Kirchengasse opens, you feel like Alice, who has discovered the entrance to Wonderland. But there's no rabbit running ahead, instead there's Moise, a PORRian and site manager. And you don't fall down a deep hole, but go down many, many steps. And when you think you can't go on, there's another staircase. It gets louder. Darker. Dirtier. Dustier. And then you arrive in Wonderland. And you have 35 metres of soil above your helmeted head. There's a wooden table for meetings. A kettle over there. Cables everywhere. Protective masks. A red neon tube warns of vibrations. Slowly, we venture forward. An excavator here, an excavator there. Huge, long tunnel tubes. Work is being carried out everywhere on the extension of Vienna's U2 underground line. Around the clock.
Neubaugasse station
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Mighty Debohra
March 2025. We are here in Wonderland, to capture it – on photos and in a video. The film team of epics network is doing this for us. We walk carefully across the construction site, wide-eyed. You don't see something like this every day. The film team consists of two cameramen and a photographer, all well equipped. Sometimes two drones fly through the tunnel tubes at the same time. Neubaugasse, where the U3 already stops, is the next stop for the tunnel boring machine. Here they are just getting ready for her arrival. When we have got everything we came for, we leave this wonderland. And end up in the next film. Because in the Pilgramgasse station we finally get to know her: Debohra is more than 120 metres long, weighs 1,300 tonnes and consists of 26,751 individual parts. At the front, it drills its way through the Viennese underground, in the middle the earth is transported out, which saves 20,000 truck trips through the city and 75 tonnes of CO2, and at the back, the tunnel is virtually complete. When you see it, the tunnel boring machine, and walk through it, you feel like you're in Star Wars. As if Luke Skywalker were about to come along, draw his lightsaber and fight Darth Vader. The force is with you, Debohra.
Pilgramgasse & Matzleinsdorfer Platz stations
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Talented Annika
After we have set the scene for all the work and especially for Debohra, as well as for ourselves in front of Debohra, we set off for the next stop. And actually, we could even walk to Matzleinsdorfer Platz through the tunnel. But we decided to take the bus after all. And a sausage roll on the way. When we arrive at the construction site, we meet Annika. She plays the violin and an important role in our video. But it's best if you watch it for yourselves.
