Under one roof

The aim of this new community centre was to give a boost to the town centre and act as a central point of contact for residents by providing a variety of activities: including a clubhouse, medical centre, municipal administration and freely usable space for residents

A functional trinity

The new community centre combines the residents needs with the administration of the market town of Grossweikersdorf in the western Weinviertel region of Austria. The purpose of the building is to augment the town centre by counteracting the “donut effect” that is causing the historic centres of many Austrian towns and cities to die out and be replaced as social meeting places by shopping centres on the outskirts.

“We wanted to develop spaces that were flexible, multi-use and open-plan,” explains Christian Kircher, the executive architect from smartvoll Architekten. The town’s call for tender asked for a building that fulfilled their exacting demands for a multi-purpose centre.
The new town hall is divided into three structural parts with different functions: the town hall is oriented towards the main square, the second part of the building is home to a clubhouse that provides space for various traditions and activities and the eastern part of the building houses the medical centre. The building has doorways on all side streets, not only on the main square. This gives it an inviting air from all sides. Outdoor areas and open zones are intended to make it usable and accessible for members of the public.

A natural covering

The clay roof tile Figaro Deluxe Engobe Basalt was chosen as the cladding material for both the roof and the façade. This product performs not only a visual but also, and above all, a vital practical task: brick façades are much more durable and easier to repair than conventional thermal insulation composite systems. Individual bricks can be replaced at any time.

The aim was to use authentic and natural materials throughout the building. This means that full thermal insulation made of petroleum-based materials was out of the question. Choosing natural materials was also intended to amplify the inviting atmosphere of the building. Around 800 m2 of the building was covered with a specially roughened tile called Altstadttasche (historic town tile) made by Wienerberger, which gives the building a rustic yet modern appearance.

The tile is an Austrian variant of the non-interlocking extruded roof tile with a straight edge. It gives the surface an emphatically geometric appearance while visually elongating the roof. It also lends a certain tactile quality to the roof. A further 600 m2 at the rear part of the building was clad in the straight-lined clay roof tile Figaro Deluxe Engobe Basalt. The light grey of the Altstadttasche creates an exciting vintage effect, while this dark clay roof tile brings an elegant serenity to the façade.