Open Space on All Levels

Separate teaching wings and separate entrances for boys and girls – when the Laimäckergasse primary school in Vienna’s tenth district was built in 1901, it complied to the very different social norms of bygone days. After World War II, the divided primary school was merged, but many spatial constraints still remained. In the course of the renovation, these are now to be eliminated and the heritage building transformed into a modern all-day school with 13 primary school classes and four leisure classes. Directly opposite, a new building is planned for eight secondary school and four additional primary school classes.

A Question of Space

Our competition design responds to the limited available space on the plot with a compact, four-storey timber construction. It is separated from the existing heritage building by a narrow street. On the ground floor, the façade is recessed to create a shared courtyard. The set-back roof level with a generous creativity zone and a green play terrace offers plenty of additional free space for the children and young people.

»It was very important to us to treat the existing building with respect and to create a diverse range of open spaces for the pupils in both the old and the new building.«

Kevin Jan Mazanek, Franz&Sue project manager

Free Space in High Demand

The class clusters in the new building are each assigned multifunctional common areas. In addition, loggias with a view to the greenery expand the available space. On the ground floor, the entrance and cafeteria form the heart of the school and create a spatial bridge between the forecourt and the green space to the south. On the first floor, the elementary school classrooms dock onto the existing building via a connecting bridge.

»The implementation of the spatial-pedagogical concept and the overall functional organisation were – especially in the existing building – a very sound solution.«

Excerpt from the jury protocol

New Connections

In the primary school, a central aula serves as the new entrance area. The classes and the multipurpose room are situated on the upper floors interspersed with multifunctional areas and project rooms. The creative laboratory on the first floor – in place of the previous gymnasium – forms the spatial hub of the building. New connections emerge on all levels between the two historical school wings. Terraces facing the courtyard on the second and third floors provide new, versatile play and learning areas for the pupils.