How many stories could these walls tell? Here we are at the Volksschule Mannagettagasse. It stands as a testament to Vienna’s enduring commitment to education.
The Volksschule Mannagettagasse’s original building dates back to 1871 and 1872. It was designed by the architect Heinrich von Ferstel. This historic structure is now a protected monument.
To meet the needs of a full-day elementary school, a new building was added in 2012. This addition provides space for four elementary school classes. It also houses a preschool class and a recreational class. Two cloakrooms, sanitary facilities and cleaning rooms are included.
The original Volksschule Mannagettagasse building has a ground floor and an upper floor. The ground floor is accessible from the street only via stairs. The schoolyard was also only accessible by stairs. The stairwell was too small to install a wheelchair-accessible lift. The new extension solves these accessibility problems. Its location and height were carefully chosen.
The schoolyard will be leveled to match the ground floor of the existing building. It will be expanded into a play area. This will create a new accessible entrance to both the old and new buildings.
A glazed bridge will connect the upper floor of the extension to the old building. This connecting corridor is planned for the renovation phase. For now, it has been built as an extendable canopy. This corridor will improve the school’s internal organization.
In the original building, the gymnasium and cloakroom are on the ground floor. Two classrooms have been converted into a dining hall and serving kitchen. Upstairs, there are four classrooms, a textile workshop, a teaching materials room, a doctor’s office, a teacher’s room and the headmaster’s office. The planned connecting corridor will create a unified building structure. This structure will consist of the existing building and the extension.
The extension and connecting bridge are constructed from laminated timber. Some of the interior wood is glazed white. The walls feature visible horizontal planks. The facade has 20 cm of thermal insulation. It also features a ventilated anthracite-colored Eternit facade. The building is designed as a low-energy building. Retrofitting a ventilation system for controlled classroom ventilation is possible.
The Volksschule Mannagettagasse is located near Grinzing’s historic village center. Sidewalks are narrow. The street in front of the school is a dead end. To ensure safety, vehicles should not enter it before school starts. They also shouldn’t enter at the end of the classes. Children can be easily overlooked when cars reverse.
The Volksschule Mannagettagasse stands as a symbol of learning. Generations have passed through its halls. It continues to evolve. It adapts to the changing needs of its students. The Volksschule Mannagettagasse remains a vital part of the community.