In Vienna’s 20th district, Brigittenau, the historic building of the primary school at Leystraße 34 shines in renewed splendor. The street-facing section from around 1900, classified as an important element of the cityscape, was carefully renovated and significantly expanded by the architecture studio hey! architektur. The new Leystraße primary and secondary school in Vienna opened its doors at the start of the 2024 school year, after the site had been closed for teaching for two years. This modern school building combines old and new into a unified whole, creating an environment where children enjoy learning and feel comfortable.
The result is a spacious, light-filled learning landscape that connects the historic building with the new structure. Innovative and child-friendly architectural solutions, such as multifunctional open spaces, impress both aesthetically and functionally and are meant to be enjoyable.
Interweaving old and new
The historic school building largely remains in its original structure; however, the traditional corridors have been opened up through the addition of multifunctional areas, significantly expanding the spatial possibilities. In the connecting wing running parallel to Adalbert-Stifter-Straße, all special-purpose classrooms as well as the administration and teachers’ areas are located. Through this section, the historic building is linked to the modern learning cluster. At the same time, the school courtyard is created, which opens upward through the terraced upper floors and therefore receives plenty of air and light.
All building sections facing the street adopt the historic façade color of the original structure. In terms of materiality, however, the connecting wing deliberately stands out with a metal façade, which also serves as a support structure for façade greenery.
Surrounding terraces as open space
One of the most striking features of the new school building is the system of surrounding terraces arranged on several levels. They extend the school’s open spaces and offer students not only attractive places to relax but also a variety of opportunities for teaching activities, break times, and social interaction.
In addition, the accent colors of each floor appear on the terrace railings, making orientation easier and helping students strongly identify with their own floor and learning cluster.
The terrace landscape and the use of the sports hall roof increase the available open space by almost 2,000 square meters.
Courtyard as central meeting point and heart of the school
A key aspect of the building is the orientation of all areas toward the central courtyard, which functions as the heart of the school. The courtyard is designed as the school’s main meeting point and plays an essential role in daily school life. Surrounded by the continuous balconies and terraces, it serves not only as a break area but also as a place for shared activities and social interaction. The generously designed dining hall, which opens directly toward the courtyard, further strengthens the sense of transparency and connection between interior and exterior spaces.
Former passage becomes the new main entrance
The new main entrance, accessible through the former passageway in the existing building, leads directly to the central school courtyard — barrier-free and easily accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. From there, students disperse into the different educational areas of the school. The large break and dining hall, which also functions as a central distribution space, ensures easy orientation and versatile use.
Architectural details and sustainable design
The architectural design of the school building places strong emphasis on sustainability and functionality. The façades of the new building are planted with greenery, creating a harmonious contrast to the classic plaster façade of the historic structure. In addition, the roofs are used for school gardens and quiet areas. The sustainable concept is supported by a hybrid ventilation system combining mechanical ventilation with automatic window gap ventilation, as well as a large photovoltaic installation. All materials and constructions used meet the highest standards of energy efficiency and sustainability.
Playful planning task and high architectural quality
The architectural concept stands out for its playful approach to the design challenge, which runs through all floors and is complemented by attractive façade and courtyard greenery. The overall functional solution demonstrates innovative potential and aligns with the pedagogical requirements and development goals of the project.
One thing is felt particularly strongly in this project: school is fun.
