Franz und Sue Zt GmbH

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School

Franz&Sue

ARCHITECTS
Franz&sue

ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS AND INTERIOR FITTING
Visuelle Kultur Kg

MANUFACTURERS
Lamilux, Raico, Reynaers Aluminium, Margres, Eternit, Hueck, Hasslinger, Hella,
Knauf, Nora, Prefa, Schuco, Thorn, Wicona, Wippro, Xal

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS
Petz Zt Gmbh

BUILDING PHYSICS
Ibo

LANDSCAPE PLANNING
Egkk

DESIGN TEAM
Lucie Vencelidesová, Andreas Reuter, Christoph Holzinger, Josef Kern, Mihail Karakolev, Elly Van Der Bloemen, Lara Baler, Alexandra Flanjak, Paulina Lakomiec, Gregor Natter, Jan Nüske

FIRE SAFETY
Hoyer Brandschutz

BUILDING SERVICES
Zencon

CLIENT
Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft

PHOTOGRAPHS
Emilblau/martin Geyer, Lisa Rastl

AREA
12241 M²

YEAR
2022

LOCATION
Gänserndorf, Austria

CATEGORY
Educational Architecture, Schools, High School

Accommodating around 1000 students, the Konrad Lorenz Secondary School is the largest building complex in the city of Gänserndorf in Lower Austria. However, the existing somber school, with its single-story classroom wings and long corridors, was no longer fit for the task.

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer

So we developed a new spatial concept for a total of 40 classes. We renovated and adapted the existing buildings to the north and south and inserted a new connecting structure between them, which resulted in a modern and friendly school ensemble where teachers and pupils can feel at home.

With the new addition, the secondary school also obtained a new, characteristic exterior. The delicate wooden lamella façade lends the building lightness and dynamism. 

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© Lisa Rastl
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer

Made of native larch, the diagonally and vertically aligned slats will, due to weathering effects over time, acquire a beautiful silvery-grey patina.

The spacious aula at the center of the complex forms the communicative and emblematic heart of the school. A broad seating staircase with multi-colored cushions connects the garden, ground, and upper floors.

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© Lisa Rastl
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer

In the zone underneath, schoolchildren can play table tennis or table soccer during breaks and romp around on a gymnastics mat. Three large skylights bathe the space with plenty of daylight.

Starting at the public areas, such as the aula and the redesigned foyer, the classes are grouped spatially into clusters. In additional break and activity zones, there is comfortable seating or climbing poles for the pupils to clamber around on.

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© Lisa Rastl
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© Lisa Rastl

To ensure easy orientation in the expansive building, we developed a visual guidance system together with Kriso Leinfellner/Visuelle Kultur KG, which assigns each class its own unique visual address.

While sea green is the primary color throughout the interiors, each floor is also marked with an own signal color – red, green, or blue.

Depending on the location of the school, there is also a distinctive pattern for each class cluster, which can be found, for example, on glazed surfaces or the seating niches, which are designed as multifunctional built-in furniture that separate the classes from the corridors.

The opposite sides of these elements provide ample storage space in the classrooms.

Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
© EMILBLAU/Martin Geyer

From the room-height windows in the classrooms, pupils have a view of the schoolyards and the lavishly designed school garden. The outdoor areas, like the indoor spaces, are anything but monotonous:

With a variety of furniture and alternating structured squares and natural areas, there is plenty of space for relaxing, movement, play, and creative learning.


Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Site Plan
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Ground Floor Plan
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Upper Floor Plan
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Garden Floor Plan


Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Elevation
Konrad Lorenz Secondary School
Section

Franz und Sue Zt GmbH
T +43 1 9415265-0
Franz und Sue Zt GmbH
Bloch-Bauer-Promenade 23/3, 1100 Wien, Austria