education campus main station

urban design concept
the site for the future vienna central station education campus is defined by its location between a public park to the north and Gudrunstraße to the south. on the west side of the future building, a narrow strip of parkland connects the large central park of the Vienna Central Station urban development area with Gudrunstraße. the basic idea is to extend this narrow park strip across the entire competition site, creating a generous spatial connection from the large park to Gudrunstraße. this results in an approximately 200-meter-wide opening between the adjacent planned block-edge developments. within this gap, the education campus is designed as a low, terraced green landscape, creating the so-called “education hill.” all educational and group rooms face the large park and have direct access to the landscaped outdoor areas.

cluster
the school units are clearly structured and easily navigable. two vertical circulation cores provide access to two clusters each. all educational rooms are oriented both toward the green area and toward the marketplace. sliding walls allow the four classrooms in a cluster to be opened into a single large space or subdivided into separate areas. quiet zones are protected by mobile shelving, which can define the space size as needed. noisier play and craft areas are positioned outside the acoustic separation and can either form a shared zone or be structured with mobile shelving. daylighting in the school units relies on a glare-free northern orientation. sunlight is directed into all areas via skylights and light corridors, with summer shading provided by deciduous trees. kindergarten group rooms are additionally illuminated from the east and west. all units have immediate access to outdoor areas, structured with sun-protected learning theaters, play lawns, mounds, and paved zones. this intensively greened educational landscape faces the large park and simultaneously extends it toward Gudrunstraße.

educational landscape
specialist areas for primary and secondary schools are directly accessible, located in the indoor campus within a knowledge island and a music island, connected by an open learning bridge that provides multipurpose spaces and quiet zones. textile and technical workshops are on the ground floor to allow outdoor studios in the covered outdoor area. as a showroom near the entrance, these spaces can also be visited by non-school users. the school units are positioned with multiple direct connections to the indoor campus as clearly defined yet quieter learning spaces.
the units are arranged into a hill-shaped educational landscape according to the children’s age:
kindergarten is on the ground floor, connected to the indoor campus and the primary school.
the primary school is on the first floor, connected to the other educational units and the indoor campus.
above that, the secondary school is located, connected to all other facilities.

outdoor spaces
the building layout and internal organization were designed to ensure direct access to usable outdoor areas on all sides, allowing the interior spaces to extend into the exterior. the generous forecourt separates the building from the street and, together with the entrance hall, forms a forum for events, celebrations, and presentations. it is flanked by green areas that extend the neighborhood park up to the street. these green zones function as extended workspaces for the schools and act as a threshold to the public realm. sports and play areas are located at the transition to the park, complementing each other. kindergarten group rooms have protected garden areas in front. as special areas for relaxation, retreat, and work, schools are directly assigned green roof spaces. shading seating steps, garden rooms (intensive planting and trees), and walkable green areas (extensive planting, dry lawns) allow teaching, group or individual work, and relaxation to coexist without interference.