2006

taufkirchen school center

eu-wide, invited implementation competition,
3rd prize
  • competitions
urban development concept
in the almost village-like surroundings, which are characterized by meadows, trees, scattered single-family houses or farms, as well as an idyllic river landscape along the pram, the new school center aims for the lowest possible height development. while the existing school center, with its three to four stories above ground, appeared as a massive, impermeable foreign body, the new school center is embedded into the terrain in order to appear with minimal and at the same time transparent building volume.

through the location and geometry of the school center, the following goals are achieved:
- creation of a "school square" with main entrance and a partially weather-protected "school arena" as a spacious forecourt to the central cloakrooms and gym
- orientation of all main classrooms towards the school garden by the pram
- connection to the existing kindergarten (also barrier-free)
- large, continuous open spaces in the south towards the river landscape along the pram
- differentiated outdoor areas for kindergarten and school without mutual noise disturbance

traffic access in the north is provided as proposed from east to west. the students commuting by bus can wait under cover in the school arena until the bus departs. they reach the bus waiting on the side lane without having to cross the traffic lane. teachers park on the west side of the school.
the entrance to the school center is centrally located for all, from the north via the spacious school square and school arena, but the functions are clearly separated across three levels:

level 0 – elementary school with direct access from the classrooms to the school garden
gym area with direct access to the outdoor gym
workshops, central cloakrooms and technical rooms

level 1 – main entrance, atrium (= break and waiting area)
local history museum, music school

level 2 – secondary school
the widening of the corridors transforms the circulation area into a space for staying, with niches and play zones. skylights provide lighting in the central zones of the building

the difference in elevation of the existing terrain, as well as a gentle ramping of the entrance forecourt, the new school square, allows visitors and teachers to enter the building at the "center" of the middle floor. this central, middle floor contains the more public areas such as the atrium, local history museum, and music school. the positioning of the gym creates light, transparency and volume for the atrium and upgrades the entrance area to a multi-story hall. without requiring additional space, the gym can also be used as an event space with gallery. the large glass artwork at the entrance is perceived in full height from both outside and inside. the entrance ramp also allows the kindergarten to be accessed without steps.
location:
taufkirchen, austria

architecture:
fasch&fuchs.architekt:innen

team architecture:
florian bylow, corinna eger, thomas mennel

structural engineering:
werkraum ingenieure zt gmbh

building physics:
büro pfeiler

model making:
patrick klammer

photography:
michaela falkensteiner


competition:
2006