Modellschule Gersthof Wien
The smallest ecological footprint is left when an existing building is used instead of building new. This project impressively demonstrates that old structures and new uses can be mutually beneficial.
Adaptive reuse is gaining momentum. The fact that this often leads to conflict between the existing building structure and the new use can be seen either as a problem—or as an opportunity to question conventional patterns and to generate innovative solutions from the tension between new function and existing framework. This can even succeed under the strict constraints of historic preservation, a fact demonstrated by this school building in Gersthof. Originally built between 1924 and 1926 as a maternity clinic for commercial employees, the building went on to serve as a military hospital and, from the 1970s onward, as an orthopedic clinic before being vacated in 2019 when the clinic relocated to the new Nord Hospital in Floridsdorf.
The Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft (BIG, Austrian federal real estate company) acquired the property with the goal of converting it into an educational facility. In a Europe-wide design competition, the winning project proposed maintaining the internal corridor typology but transforming it through glazed niches and openings into bright, friendly spatial sequences. Due to the existing structure, the classrooms are somewhat narrower and much longer than usual, measuring about five meters in depth. However, this deviation from the norm makes it possible to zone the room and create a distinctive learning arrangement in the rear area with standing desks and lockers. Classrooms and open learning zones alternate and offer diverse usage options. Externally, the building appears less like a hospital and more like a pink fairy-tale castle nestled in a park of century-old trees.
Formally, the building unites late Jugendstil, art deco, and expressionist influences, evident in subtle ornamentation, sculptural details, and pergolas supported by robust columns. Characteristic of its era, the design emphasizes strict symmetry, highlighted here by a formal forecourt framing the main entrance.
The success of such complex renovation projects is dependent on strong partnerships between architects, historic preservation authorities, clients, and contractors. In this case, that collaboration flourished during the planning and construction phase from 2020 onwards—not least because the project became a model initiative for BIG, setting benchmarks for adaptive reuse, low-tech building services, and flexible functionality in support of new learning and teaching models. The architecture is not a tight-fitting glove, tailored to a single use, but rather a loose mitten that accommodates multiple, even unforeseen, future possibilities. The project’s exemplary nature was also reflected in its inclusive planning process, which involved stakeholder workshops and expert consultations.
An unusual feature is the placement of the gymnasiums. All attempts to connect them directly to the main building proved unsatisfactory, and they were ultimately positioned as free-standing structures within the park, only a short walk away. The path leading to them is lined with outdoor opportunities for sports and play, making the walk itself a recreational experience. The two rooms dedicated to sports are not identical as is the norm, but have very different characters. One is a standard gym, while the other is a movement room with a mirrored end wall and a climbing wall on the long side, naturally daylit from above. Externally, the black-stained timber façades give the pavilions the appearance of abstract sculptures, their volumes partially sunken into the landscape so as not to disturb the park’s visual calm.
The gyms are not the only detached structures on the grounds. The free-standing former director’s villa has also been repurposed, as a natural sciences lab, without direct connection to the main school. The separation is bothersome only in bad weather; on most days, the brief walk through the park offers an invaluable moment of fresh air Another aim was to bring more nature into the main building by creating a “garden level”—in this case by excavating the area adjacent to the basement, thus transforming former storage areas into fully usable spaces that now include the after-school care area, with direct, level access to the park.
With this project, the BIG has set new standards for intelligent and sustainable building within existing structures. One can only hope that a school community will take root here that recognizes and fully embraces the potential of this unique environment.
[ Currently the temporary accommodation of Federal Academic Secondary School 18 Klostergasse (under renovation), Vienna ] Architecture: Franz und Sue ZT GmbH. Client: BIG Bundesimmobiliengesellschaft m. b. H. Structural design: Petz ZT GmbH. Landscape architecture: idealice Landschaftsarchitektur ZT. Procurement procedure: Negotiated procedure with prior publication (above EU threshold). Planning and construction period: 2020–2025. Usable floor area: 7 510 m². Address: Wielemansgasse 28, 1180 Vienna.