Grammar School Kirchseeon with Dual Sports Hall

The new grammar school is located on an almost square plot of land in a forest area bordering the town of Kirchseeon. The cross-shaped footprint of the structure was integrated in a clearing without significant loss of already existing trees, groups of which are retained in the playgrounds. The schoolyards lying between the wings of the school building result in an overall square complex – a structured ensemble cut out of the surrounding landscape. The exterior continuation of the orthogonal structure creates a coherent array of building and open spaces. In contrast to the natural forest structures, the trees are arranged in an orderly fashion in the playgrounds. Natural and architectural structures complement each other in this way.

A three-storey assembly hall with broadly curved gallery levels rises up between the angular arrangement of the components of the cruciform building. This is the focus of the school – a place of arrival, a meeting point and a venue for school events. Corridors fan out from the assembly hall and lead to the regular and specialised teaching rooms in the building wings, resulting in a simple order and easy orientation. A large glass front opens the assembly hall to the playground and surrounding forest landscape. The generous curve of the horizontal balustrades is continued in a spiral-shaped staircase, accentuating the area vertically and endowing the school with a distinctive feature.