Extending a 50s Original
Renovation and Extension of the Historically Listed Fröbelgasse School in Leoben
Photos: Andreas Buchberger
We are renovating and expanding the historically listed primary school in the Leitendorf district of Leoben in Styria and transforming the 1950s ensemble into a contemporary education centre. In the future, two existing schools will be consolidated at one location. This autumn, the pupils will move into their temporary replacement facilities, and construction is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2025.
Historical Photos: City of Leoben
Designed by the Leoben architect Emmerich Donau and built in 1953–54, the Fröbelgasse primary school was one of the first educational buildings to be realised in Styria after 1945. The entire ensemble is listed as a historical monument.
»The school is a particularly authentic example of 1950s functionalism. On the exterior, this can be seen, for instance, in the uniform articulation of the windows. Inside, almost all the furnishing elements have remained intact in their original design.«
A roofed outdoor corridor connects the main building with the gymnasium. In addition to changing areas and washrooms, the connecting wing formerly accommodated an apartment for the school caretaker and solarium.
The terrazzo floors and mosaics in the open main staircase…
…are still intact in their original design.
The school was designed as a prototypical corridor school. Many of the furnishing elements, such as the lockers in the hallways, the classroom doors and the windows, right down to the fittings, have remained intact. Our design makes use of these spacious hallway areas to enhance the pedagogical setting. Every second locker unit will be replaced by a glazed surface, creating a visual connection to the classrooms.
1950s pedagogy strived to “grasp and educate the whole person – body, mind, and soul,” reads an article about the school in the Obersteirische Zeitung newspaper from 1954. In this spirit, “spaces necessary for a healthy physical culture” were deemed very important. This included not only the large school gymnasium – besides the solarium, the school also had its own dental clinic.
We are converting the former gymnasium into a multifunctional room that can also be used for external events. As a design reminiscence, we retain part of the wooden climbing wall.
A glimpse into the future: A modern changing room wing connects up with the new timber-frame gymnasium on the north-eastern part of the site. In-between, a leafy courtyard welcomes pupils to spend their breaks. Find more information on our project webpage.
