THE BUILDINGS
The staircase to the bel étage (left) and the main OPEC Fund conference room
The grand banquet hall today hosts the annual meetings of the OPEC Fund’s Ministerial Council and the quarterly meetings of its Governing Board.
1982–present OPEC Fund Headquarters
of arms of individual Teutonic knights set high in the ceiling above ornate stucco marble walls and gilded fittings, today hosts the annual meetings of the OPEC Fund’s Ministerial Council and the quarterly meetings of its Governing Board. Elsewhere, the Palais Erzherzog Wilhelm pays tribute to the archduke’s love of horses. The glass-roofed atrium once served as a passageway for carriages to pass straight through the main entrance to a second gate in the back, allowing guests to enter without soiling their feet. To the right, a stable could accommodate 24 horses; today it is a venue for exhibitions and gatherings. To the left, a sweeping, red-carpeted staircase leads up to the bel étage where heads of state and other dignitaries have ascended from the time of the Archduke to the present day. The OPEC Fund has carefully preserved the palais’ historic character while modernizing its workspaces. The palais has also become a center for
dialogue on sustainable development – hosting conferences, technical workshops and high-level symposia. As the OPEC Fund expanded, the need for additional space, and for new ways of working, became increasingly clear. Fortunately, the solution proved to be right next door.
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