The Molitorgasse Elementary School combines a renovation in accordance with historic preservation guidelines with the sustainable redevelopment of the existing school site, transforming the existing building into a future-proof learning and living space. By reusing the existing building structure, resources are conserved and embodied energy is preserved. An extension, new open spaces, and targeted measures to reduce impervious surfaces create a climate-resilient, child-friendly environment with a high quality of life and long-term social value.

The central design concept is the opening up of the rear of the building: stacked outdoor classrooms expand the school with versatile outdoor spaces and promote learning, physical activity, and time spent outdoors. Indoor and outdoor spaces intertwine to create a healthy, nature-oriented learning environment. The school is no longer conceived as a self-contained structure but as a permeable design that respectfully wraps around the existing ginkgo tree, which is preserved as a natural landmark that defines the area’s identity.

By raising the level of the rear courtyard, it was possible to create a barrier-free main entrance, a central coatroom, and an activity space that can also be used by the public—all of which provide direct added value for the surrounding neighborhood.

At the same time, the previously heavily paved and cramped courtyard was transformed into a spacious, child-friendly area for recreation and physical activity. The newly created open spaces improve the microclimate, promote social interaction, and sustainably enhance the quality of the school site.

The roof of the new building serves not only as a functional cap but also as an additional open space and a climate-friendly recreational area. Multi-story, interlocking open spaces create a vertical layering of the outdoor area and expand the school with additional open-air zones. Generous skylights bring daylight deep into the building’s interior, reduce the need for artificial lighting, and spatially connect the different levels. The deliberate use of natural lighting contributes significantly to energy efficiency and the quality of the environment.

The open design of the building’s rear promotes natural lighting, visual connections, and a link to the open space. The open-air classrooms visually blend with the outdoor space, creating a sense of openness, spaciousness, and closeness to nature—key qualities of a sustainable educational building.

The project was complemented by a participatory planning process: educators, students, and other users were actively involved in decisions regarding spatial concepts, materials, and furnishings from the earliest stages of planning. The result is a school that combines ecological, social, and functional sustainability and views space as a pedagogical tool with long-term impact.