The challenge in the competition for the Amstetten School Campus was to combine two existing secondary schools in one location and complement the program with a new music school and an additional gym. With the area being characterized by an extreme heterogeneous development, with a wide range of buildings with various functions and styles, the design by Atelier Thomas Pucher, which won the first prize, is comprised of a compact five-storey cube which rises in the surroundings as a distinctive landmark. Additionally, the building is combined with two lower volumes and three courtyards, within a chessboard formation. More images and architects’ description after the break.
This strong formal design acts as a stable crown in the urban sprawl, the main characteristic of the surroundings. The main concept behind the formal design is the creation of a variety of spaces that can clearly organize the functions of the building. The external facades are cladded with perforated metal panels that act as sunscreen and provide both an image of continuity to the outside viewer, and a subtle sense of intimacy in the interior spaces.
