Bregenz design studio Bernardo Bader Architekten has just completed a uniquely structured primary school which is nestled in the rural Autrian town of Au. The mountainous site forms a village inside of a village which extends the existing campus comprised of a middle school and kindergarten. The studio also creates a new schoolyard that will be joined by a gym to come in 2026.
The founder of the studio Bernardo Bader shares the design process with Dezeen, noting "The basic spatial idea is the creation of a school village, 'the village within the village. The position of the buildings creates a rich collection of typologically different outdoor spaces, which balances itself with the existing structures to form an equal composition of body and space. The heart of the strengthened ensemble is a contained and protected schoolyard, which can be used equally for play and learning purposes, especially in the warm season."
Image Credit: Gustav Willeit
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- School-village Design
- The concept of creating a 'village within a village' for schools provides a novel communal space that blends learning with outdoor interaction.
- Typological Diversity in Educational Architecture
- Incorporating various building typologies can enhance the versatility and functionality of school spaces, encouraging creative architectural solutions.
- Multi-use Outdoor Learning Environments
- Designing schoolyards that serve both as play areas and learning spaces maximizes the educational potential of outdoor environments.
Sectors Adopting This
- Educational Architecture
- Innovative designs in school architecture can radically transform the educational experience by integrating multifunctional and communal spaces.
- Landscape Architecture
- Creating adaptable outdoor spaces that balance with existing structures offers an opportunity for landscape architecture to redefine educational environments.
- Construction and Infrastructure
- The trend towards building interconnected, village-like school structures requires advanced construction and infrastructure planning to support new educational paradigms.
