The school building accommodates the regular and special classrooms and the administrative offices, separated by a three-story atrium, which spans the length of the building and brings light down to the ground floor. Footbridges providing access to the classrooms rhythmically interrupt the atrium, lit from above. This simple but spatially appealing structure is on the one hand rooted in the logics of economy; on the other hands it is a result of the sophisticated structure crafted from wooden elements, the material of choice that helped to achieve such short construction times.

The slender, elevated connecting wing between the school and the hall houses the two-story auditorium, the covered entrance and break area, as well as the communal library on the upper floor.

In the hall, the two-story sports hall and the three-story multi-purpose area also provide rooms for day care, clubs and events. The five-meter-high gymnastics room offers plenty of space for smaller events. Above is the rehearsal room for the local music club. The southern part of the building houses the large double gymnasium, located about three meters below the ground level. To the west, a long window band opens the sports hall to the school forecourt, offering good views of the activities below. The spacious foyer on the ground floor and the gallery on the upper floor allow insights into the sports hall and the gymnastics room as well as the rehearsal room.

The circulation areas of the central section are divided into small spaces between the footbridges by skylights and tall lockers, thus transforming the long corridor into a lively meeting place during breaks. The glass balustrades of the footbridges enhance the transparency of this space and enliven everyday life at school with various views.

The oiled birch panels in the interior and the maple doors create an atmosphere of wellbeing. The bright classrooms benefit on the east side from the skylights of the middle zone.

External sun protection prevents glare and heat build-up. A low band of inward placed glass panes under the high windowsill ensures that there is still enough view.

The water habitat serves as a fire protection pond and is part of a specific fire control concept.

Above ground, the entire school was built as a highly insulated lightweight wood construction, according to passive house guidelines. Only the bracing cores are made of reinforced concrete. The prefabrication of the box girder elements, the quick assembly, the absence of complex pile foundations and drying times enabled the tight schedule of 18 months. The water habitat in front of the classroom wings serves as a fire protection pond and is part of a specific fire control concept.

Like the school, the hall – apart from the access core and the components touching the ground – is made of timber with a supporting structure of glulam beams. The hall is built around a bracing reinforced concrete core that accommodates the access and the functional rooms. The handling of materials throughout the building is very pure and straightforward: everything that is built with wood is also clad with wood, concrete remains concrete and plasterboard remains plasterboard.

This project proves, that sustainable and ecological construction is absolutely compatible with high architectural standards. Thanks to controlled ventilation and an optimized outer shell, the building achieves a total energy consumption of less than 15 kWh/m² per year. It is the first school building in Vorarlberg to meet the strict passive-house standards. As a successful pioneer work, the school received several architecture and energy-saving awards, including the National Award for Architecture and Sustainability.