gymnasium and kindergarten mauren

urban design concept
the primary school campus is located next to the parish church and the municipal administration in the center of mauren, forming, together with the cultural center, a unique meeting place for young and old. the building ensemble, which has developed over many years, offers an interesting sequence of plazas and pathways across multiple levels in the sloped site. the challenge of the brief is the arrangement of the required spaces for the double sports hall and the kindergarten, each with optimal connections to the existing buildings, while maintaining and enhancing the existing public pathways and the desired outdoor play areas. due to the limited site area, the concept is based on a terraced stacking of spatial requirements. the kindergarten is positioned above the double sports hall, creating a generous, elevated kindergarten outdoor area, the “sky meadow,” which connects to the eastern outdoor space. at the interface between old and new, a transparent stairwell with a lift links all floors like a joint, allows entry and exit at all levels, brings daylight down to the sports hall level, and creates a meeting zone between kindergarten and primary school.

sports hall
the new double sports hall is located at the entrance level of the primary school, slightly sunken to achieve the required ceiling height. gently sloped ramps connect the two school wings directly and quickly to the sports hall. minor modifications on the ground floor of the primary school eliminate previous bottlenecks at the sports hall entrance in wing A and simplify circulation in wing B.
the entrance area to the double sports hall allows visual access to the halls and natural daylight. from both entrances of the primary school wings, views extend into the sports hall. clear circulation paths support orientation within the buildings. the sports hall and locker rooms are accessible from the outdoor space south of wing A and directly connected via the escape tunnel to the outdoor sports and play areas.

kindergarten
the new kindergarten is located on the roof of the double sports hall, with its own large terrace, the “sky meadow,” elevated from other open spaces but connected to the outdoor grounds.
from the entrance on kaplaneigasse, children can overview the entire building.
the meeting zone at the interface with the new stairwell and lift connects the kindergarten to the primary school. generous sightlines, daylight in all areas, and a clear structure enable simple and intuitive orientation. through the vestibule, one enters a large foyer that accesses all rooms and invites children to play, read, and learn. all kindergarten classrooms face south; the cantilevered roof reduces direct sunlight, while large north-facing shed roofs provide additional glare-free daylight. each classroom, group room, and the meeting zone have direct access to the sky meadow. galleries in the classrooms create retreat spaces with visual connections to the group room and the auditorium below, as well as over the roofs to the outside. in the gallery’s lying niche, children can observe the sky, learning playfully to interact with the third dimension.

open space
existing attractive pathways through the school campus remain and are further developed. a second cross connection to kaplaneigasse is created from the new parking deck on peter- and paulstrasse, providing a second entrance to the kindergarten foyer. all trees along kaplaneigasse are preserved, maintaining the character of this meeting zone. a new staircase leads from the schoolyard to the green area south of wing A of the primary school, creating an additional access to the sports hall. the existing connection between peter- and paulstrasse and kaplaneigasse is enhanced by the new joint, the transparent stairwell, creating generous sightlines into the sports hall and seating areas that invite lingering and observing. the concept avoids demolishing the single-family house meldina 5 and utilizing its area; optionally, a grass playfield could be positioned here.

traffic concept
existing parking spaces at the schoolyard are removed, leaving only one accessible parking space for people with disabilities near the main school entrance. at the southeast corner of the planning perimeter, the required car parking spaces are provided in an open parking deck, allowing natural cross ventilation without mechanical systems. the roof serves as an all-weather play area. five additional visitor parking spaces and four parent-drop-off spaces are located directly on peter- and paulstrasse. a conscious decision is made to limit the number of parking and parent-drop-off spaces to avoid unnecessary car trips. one accessible parking space is located directly at the kindergarten entrance on kaplaneigasse.

material concept
material selection emphasizes ecological footprint, co₂ emissions from production, transport, and deconstruction. all kindergarten classrooms are equipped with wooden floors to enhance the floor as a seating or play surface. to provide children playful exposure to different materials, exposed concrete (load-bearing walls), steel columns and beams (primary structure), prefabricated wooden roof panels (secondary roof structure), and plywood lightweight walls (furniture) are left as original and uncoated as much as possible. transparent surfaces are equipped with effective external sun shading. cantilevered roofs provide sun protection from high-angle sunlight and protect façades from weather and dirt, facilitating cleaning and maintenance. trees in front of the façade contribute additional shading.

energy concept
the energy strategy is based on passive optimization of the building, including avoidance of suspended ceilings to utilize available thermal mass (reinforced concrete slabs and walls). acoustic elements are executed as suspended absorbers to activate the building’s thermal mass. at night, roof lights automatically open when outdoor temperatures allow, enabling cross ventilation. warm air is expelled, cooler outdoor air introduced, and thermal mass is cooled to precondition rooms for the next day. roof overhangs or cantilevered building parts ensure glare-free daylighting, prevent summer overheating, and allow rain-protected ventilation. green roofs with a thick humus layer absorb and delay heat input, supporting the building’s thermal stabilization. during soil moisture evaporation, a cooling effect occurs due to the latent heat released.

structural concept
to maximize flexibility inside the building, load-bearing walls are only used as required for horizontal stabilization. primary elements are reinforced concrete columns and slabs, largely on an efficient 7-meter grid. prestressed concrete beams are used above the sports hall within the described grid. the uppermost ceilings above the kindergarten are lightweight construction – steel beams as primary structure with suspended prefabricated wood panels.

fire safety and escape routes concept
the entire load-bearing structure is reinforced concrete. the kindergarten has exits and escape routes directly to the terrace or adjacent outdoor areas. the sports hall and locker rooms are vented via an escape tunnel on one side and an outdoor space south of wing A as a second route. from any point in the building, the outdoor space is reachable within 35 meters, with escape possible in at least two directions. for these reasons, a protected stairwell is not required.

schoolyard
the existing schoolyard already has a pleasant character; extensive redesign is not needed.
existing parking spaces and curbs are removed, new seating and bicycle parking provided, and a new path created south of wing A. the motif of the central circular pattern of the existing paving is reused for tree seating islands.

expansion possibilities
as a proposed school expansion, wing A of the existing primary school can be extended vertically, with the possibility of an additional connection to the kindergarten on the second floor. if the single-family house meldina 5 is demolished, the new parking deck and above-ground open spaces can be expanded.