BSSOG Hartberg.

This competition design includes an extension, a new building and the renovation of the existing building to provide space for four different types of school at a single location. Two aspects were decisive for the extension of the building: the buildable areas on the first floor are used for an extension and an open, multi-layered learning landscape is created as a space for new learning typologies and contemporary teaching. In addition, the existing parking lot in the northern area of the property will be used for the placement of a solitary building. The new building thus relieves the existing building and offers plenty of space for teachers and students of the HAK/HAS.

The new building will also serve as sustainable temporary accommodation for the various types of school during the construction period, meaning that the construction of a container school can be completely dispensed with. The planned construction of the new building and extension in timber construction allows a high degree of prefabrication and thus ensures a fast construction process.

With the exception of a small section, the storey ceilings and the existing reinforced concrete support grid will not be changed in the interests of sustainable use of the existing building. The interior of the existing building will be dismantled as far as necessary, adapted in certain areas and redesigned to create a suitable framework for contemporary learning spaces.

The new storey is added to the existing building with braces on the second floor and blends in formally with the appearance of the existing building, whereby the differentiation in the façade design gives the new storey a deliberate accent.

The western façade of the existing building will be redesigned with a plant framework. The greenery provides shade for the learning spaces behind it and creates a sense of identity in the urban space. The new building picks up on the structure of the existing building with a clearly legible grid in the wooden façade.

By renovating the façades with ecological building materials, consistently closing the small atriums and adding storeys, large parts of the thermal envelope of the existing building are improved and contribute to low costs in maintenance and daily operation.

For the structuring and reorganization of the school center, the school types were separated. Due to spatial interdependencies, the areas of HLW and elementary education remain on the first floor. The HLW will be organized in two clearly zoned clusters opposite each other.

In order to be able to design the area on the first floor as a contemporary, open learning landscape, 4 classrooms were added to the western area of the two inner courtyards. The roof area of the extension is greened and made accessible on the first floor as a terrace and extension of the interior space.

As the AHS requires the most space of all four school types, the AHS premises will be located on the first and second floors. The HAK/HAS premises will be located in the new solitary building. Within all areas of each school type, the classrooms will be positioned on the façade to ensure optimal lighting.

The existing skylights were extended to provide natural light and a new spacious cascading staircase acts as a central access element. Floor-to-ceiling glass surfaces between the open learning landscape and the classrooms, as well as the connection to the atriums, also allow for better natural lighting in these zones.

The new vertical circulation system not only connects the levels with each other, but also offers large seating steps for free and informal learning. It can also be used for presentations and lectures, making it a focal point of the school center that is accessible to all types of schools.

The new building also has a central, open staircase as the main access with a welcoming atmosphere.

To the project overview