The renovation of the Waldorf School in Mauer (Vienna) sets new standards for sustainable construction. The oldest Waldorf school in Austria was founded in 1964. Over time, the historicist building has undergone multiple renovations.
For the sake of ensemble protection, the street-facing appearance has largely been preserved. The existing street wing was partially demolished on the courtyard side and replaced with an extension, a pure wood construction with a concrete core and steel elements, which was harmoniously integrated with the historical structure. The foyer, dining hall with garden view, daylight-flooded gymnasium, classroom wing with after-school care, kindergarten, and roof garden form the main elements of the clearly structured building. The flexible room concept creates a creative learning environment with maximum adaptability.
The specific shape of the building resulted from the given circumstances: The original building was only one and a half storeys high. The challenge was to design the extension to be airy and filled with natural light. In the upper floor, high rooms were realised. To ensure that the classrooms, which have a lower height, still appear friendly and open, they were glazed and feature a gallery providing direct access to the garden.
As the facade was designed with a lot of glass, the slender ATLANT® composite columns from Peikko were used. These steel composite columns enable an open and light-flooded spatial design with maximum stability. Additionally, the historical structure could be harmoniously connected with the new, sustainable wooden construction.
