Mittelschule Mittelweiherburg Hard
This renovation has transformed the concrete brutalism and garish colors of the 1960s into refined spatial atmospheres and a carefully considered color concept. Whereas the architecture used to be ahead of the pedagogy, after 50 years the two are finally in harmony.
This middle school in Hard, near Bregenz, embodies the reform movements of the 1960s and 1970s in a prototypical way. The societal demand of “education for all” at that time found expression equally in pedagogy and in architecture. Research groups developed the typology of Hallenschule, laying the groundwork for innovative construction methods and flexible spatial models. In this atmosphere of optimism, however, architecture often outpaced pedagogy. The recent transformation of this school was therefore able to build upon a progressive architectural concept that can now fully support contemporary teaching and learning practices.
Externally and on the façade, only subtle changes were made, but with strong effect. The boundaries between the school and public space now blur in all directions, making transparency and openness immediately tangible. Current standards for fire safety, accessibility, and security were met, while the design focus was directed inward. Even the arrival at the school building through the new cloakroom area is now a completely different experience—bright, friendly, and welcoming, made possible by lowering the adjacent terrain. This lower level also accommodates the lunch area, where the flow of movement is subtly guided by a long, curved seating element.
The school’s main meeting point and circulation hub is the atrium at the intersection of the two wings. The octagonal airspaceabovevisually connects all floors—today even more effectively than before, as the massive steel railings have been replaced by glass balustrades that allow sightlines across the floors. Each floor now contains two clusters, each composed of three classrooms. While part of the original design, these have only now, through the removal of spatial barriers, become true learning landscapes. The layout follows a layered gradient of publicness—from active, shared gallery zones with seating niches and “computer bars” to acoustically shielded seminar rooms within each cluster that provide quiet retreat.
Most striking in this project is the thoughtful treatment of materiality and color. Where once exposed concrete, garish tones, and glossy linoleum dominated, the atmosphere is now harmonious and refined, defined by a skillful interplay of contrasting surfaces. The concrete skeleton was sandblasted to reveal its natural roughness. A sophisticated palette of nearly 50 graduated tones brings depth and calm to the interior, extending confidently yet gracefully across floors, walls, sanitary areas, radiators, and seating cushions. Complementary larch elements introduce warmth and elegance to the building. Color here is a tool of spatial modulation, while the essence of the school’s original architectural character continues to resonate.
[ Mittelweiherburg Middle School, Hard ] Architecture: gruber locher architekten ZT GmbH. Client: Marktgemeinde Hard. Structural design: Mader & Flatz ZT GmbH. Color concept: Monika Heiss. Procurement procedure: Negotiated process. Planning and construction period: 2019–2023. Usable floor area: 5 921 m². Address: Flurstraße 12, 6971 Hard, Vorarlberg.