“The renovation of the old, dark 1950s school has to be at least as good as our new primary school building next door.” That’s the standard we set for this project. The game changer was to top off the two existing classroom wings with another story, clear out the cramped courtyard between them, and cover it with a shed roof. The result is a splendid sunlit, three-story aula that lends the building a spacious workshop character.
Details
Photography
David Schreyer
Client
Stadt Graz
State
Completed
Net Usable Floor Area
4590 m²
Building Costs
13,7 Mio. €
Awards
1. Preis
“Wow, what a school!” was the reaction we frequently heard during the first few weeks. And thanks to the generous furniture budget provided by the City of Graz, the excessively long corridors have been transformed into lively, versatile common areas, and the school has become an incredibly privileged place of learning.
»Adapting and building into existing structures also presents new opportunities: large interior spaces like this aula are rarely possible in new buildings.«
Erwin Stättner, Franz&Sue partner
Nothing but Great Rooms
We topped off the two existing classroom wings with light, wood-frame structures and connected them into four learning clusters via timber platforms. Each of these clusters shares group rooms, loggias, and central learning and break areas. With the high-quality, multifunctional furniture in combination with wooden boxes, a few curtains, and the versatile rooms created around them, young people can enjoy a variety of unique learning spaces. David Schreyer’s photos show how these inviting spaces have been appropriated and put to use.
Central Meeting Place
The two wooden tree sculptures set the scale for the large aula and serve as a giant three-dimensional bulletin board. Surrounded by the adjacent after-school care center, workshops, cloakroom, library, and staff offices, the aula forms the central meeting place for the middle school.
»The City of Graz has provided truly high-quality furnishings for this project. Not only did this greatly enhance our design process, we can also see how effectively the school community is putting these elements and open spaces to use. We never imagined the possibilities this would open up.«
Lucie Vencelidesova, Franz&Sue team leader
Building with Timber in Existing Structures
Between the middle school and the existing gymnasium, we designed the extension for the new polytechnic school as a lightweight wood construction too. With the renovation and new building, there is now space for 350 students in 14 classes. The large windows of the middle school and the wooden slatted façade of the polytechnic school echo the design of the primary school’s façade. With its shared school garden, the Puntigam education campus has now also grown together spatially.
Site Map
Floor Plan Ground Floor
Floor Plan Upper Floor 1
Floor Plan Upper Floor 2
Section
Type Of Commission
EU-weit offener, einstufiger Wettbewerb
Client
Stadt Graz
Construction
2024-2025
Gross Floor Area
5100 m²
Scope Of Commission
Generalplanung
Location
Graz. Steiermark
State
Completed
Building Costs
13,7 Mio. €
Design
2022-2025
Net Usable Floor Area
4590 m²
Team
Lucie Vencelidesova (TL), Martino Libisch (TL), Judith Mayr (PL), Alba Keneta-Mandija (PL), Linda Ercusi, Luisa Feldrapp, Caroline Steinsiepen, Magdalena Brodka, Elisabeth Nobl, Lica Anic, Silvia Mladenkova, Tanja Marben, Barbara Wagner
Awards
1. Preis
Structural Engineer
Petz
Building Physics
RWT Plus
Building Services
Lauer-Pelzl-Stadlhofer, Ogrisek & Knopper
Landscape Planning
EGKK
Fire Safety Planning
Norbert Rabl
Photography
David Schreyer
Other Cooperation
IKK Group: Kulturtechnik
