Volksschule Carlbergergasse Wien
With foresight, a space was intentionally left in the existing building, a corridor school dating back to 1999, for future expansion. The new addition fills this space in a completely unexpected way, presenting a sophisticated interplay of geometry and pedagogy.
A middle school in the Atzgersdorf district on the southern outskirts of Vienna was to be expanded to include a primary school. The original structure anticipated a straightforward extension of an existing wing—a central corridor flanked by classrooms on both sides—which would have blocked off the elongated courtyard, creating a fully enclosed shape.
The architecture competition instead produced a more inventive solution: a star-shaped plan based on a hexagon. Rather than enclosing the courtyard, the extension occupies it with a self-contained, compact volume whose faceted outline prevents any sense of confinement. A base connecting structure links the new building to the existing one and, with its terraced landscape, at least partly compensates for the lost courtyard areas.
Although not part of Vienna’s official campus schools program, the project adopts key principles of educational spaces and MUFU. The educational rooms are square and cleverly angled to receive daylight from two sides across the corner. This rotation generates intermediate niches, some glazed and used as group rooms, others absorbed into the open central zone.
On the ground floor there is a spacious foyer with direct access to the administrative offices and the teachers’ room, which has its own small outdoor courtyard space. The central cloakroom is located on the first basement level and offers a visual connection to the foyer via a hexagonal opening. Not only the geometry, but also high-quality materials, plenty of light, and carefully framed views make this school a special place. Even the staircases—a main stairway in the foyer and a smaller one leading directly into the courtyard—invite lingering and interaction.
This star of Atzgersdorf proves that there are geometries beyond the right angle capable of creating truly engaging spaces. Here the children have both: right angles in the classrooms, dancing geometry all around.
[ Carlbergergasse Primary School, Vienna ] Architecture: Klammer*Zeleny Architekten ZT GmbH. Client: Stadt Wien. Structural engineering: FCP Fritsch, Chiari & Partner ZT GmbH. Landscape architecture: korbwurf landschaftsarchitektur. Procurement procedure: Open, single‑stage design competition with implementation (above EU threshold). Planning and construction period: 2018–2020. Usable floor area: 4 354 m². Address: Carlbergergasse 72, 1230 Vienna.