hall school center

urban design concept
the site for the new school center in hall in tyrol is defined by its favorable location in close proximity to the city center. the so-called school meadow sits like a green island east of the existing polytechnic school and is bordered to the north and east by park areas, while three residential complexes lie to the south. the optimal preservation of this school meadow as green space for the students and teachers of the new school center is the starting point for the present concept. an elongated building in an east-west orientation along the southern property boundary adopts the volumes of the adjacent residential buildings and frames the open space that emerges to the north. from the public pedestrian and bicycle path kiechlanger, at which the new school square with the main entrance is located, a sequence emerges over the slightly raised shoulder terrace and the transparent interior spaces with views into the private schoolyards, offering varying degrees of public accessibility without making the new school center feel like a barrier. the majority of the current school meadow remains as a walkable green landscape. comb-like, single-story building sections gently follow the existing slope, creating green, gently inclined courtyards and walkable, planted roofs. in this way, internal and external educational landscapes are formed, maximizing usable outdoor areas. all recent studies emphasize the importance of easy access to outdoor spaces and open areas. limiting the building to one upper floor allows all clusters and special classrooms a direct connection to the outdoor space. to the west, the building is cut to create a generous school square forming the entrance to the new school. here there is ample space for the transport of children with special needs and drop-off/pick-up traffic, while the cantilever of the upper floor provides a covered driveway. from the new entrance level, a barrier-free, covered connection to the existing gymnasium and teaching kitchen is possible. the polytechnic school as a school type is a phasing-out model. in the event of future demolition of the existing school, the positioning of the new gym allows the formation of a lowered arena to the west and an urban orientation of the new school center toward thurnfeldgasse.

indoor campus
the auditorium, dining area, gymnastics room, gymnasium, library, and special classrooms form a generous, interconnected learning landscape, the indoor campus. the indoor campus provides space for events of all kinds and is a meeting point for all students. it invites sitting and observing, functions as a recreation, play, and learning space, and ensures easy orientation within the building. the spatial concept of the indoor campus is intended to support the spirit of the school: openness, clarity, orientation, networking, generosity, and light-filled friendliness. in the warm season, the dining hall, library, and special classrooms can open to the covered outdoor areas, enabling eating or relaxing outdoors and working in outdoor studios. the indoor campus also functions as the distribution hub for all areas of the school: the three clusters of the special school dock here, while the four clusters of the new middle school form the upper floor.

clusters
the educational units of the special school are organized clearly on the ground floor in a comb-like structure of three clusters. each cluster connects four classrooms with the open learning landscape, teacher’s room, cloakroom, and sanitary facilities. large roof sheds expand the learning landscape vertically and ensure optimal, glare-free northern daylighting. sliding walls allow classrooms within a cluster to open seamlessly to the learning landscapes, while glass elements enable teachers to oversee the learning zones from adjacent rooms. all learning landscapes have direct access to the immediately adjoining outdoor areas. the transition to inclusion can be easily achieved by removing one wall and shifting two partition walls. similarly, the four clusters of the new middle school on the upper floor are structured, with all learning landscapes having direct access to the large green roof landscapes of the special school clusters or the gymnasium, connected via stair ramps to the green courtyards.

gymnasium and workshops
on a semi-level embedded floor, the gymnasium, changing rooms, workshops, and chemistry room are located. the workshop and chemistry area is slightly elevated from the terrain to optimize daylighting together with terrain cutouts. the gymnasium has a separate entrance for external users directly from the school square.

outdoor space
it is important for student health to switch frequently between indoor and outdoor spaces. outdoor lessons, even rain-protected, can take place in close proximity to the classrooms and learning landscapes. part of the spatial concept is the expansion of learning areas with a directly adjoining outdoor space. shading trees in the courtyards or soil mounds on terraces can be used as seating or lounging areas. the various spatial situations offer a wide range of uses for different groups and individuals. the areas are clear and open, usable by everyone for multiple purposes.

energy concept
the energy concept is based on passive optimization of the building, including the avoidance of suspended ceilings to make use of the available thermal mass (reinforced concrete floors and walls); acoustic elements are suspended in a way that preserves thermal storage effectiveness. heating of the highly insulated building is provided via district heating, with the base load delivered through radiant concrete core activation, while peak loads are covered by static heating surfaces as required. at night, designated skylights can be opened to enable rain-protected cross ventilation. this process removes warm indoor air and introduces cooler outdoor air. the thermal mass is thus cooled by night air, conditioning the rooms for the next day. wide canopies or cantilevered building elements provide glare-free daylighting for school units, prevent summer overheating, and allow rain-protected ventilation. green roofs with a thick humus layer absorb and delay energy input, contributing to additional thermal stabilization. during evaporation of soil moisture, a cooling effect occurs due to the latent heat released.