In 2009 the sponsoring organisation of the HTL Innviertel- North Andorf organised a not- open design competition with pre- EU-wide application for obtaining preliminary architectural concepts for a new school- the HTL Andorf.
From 54 applications, the jury selected 17 participants for the restricted design competition, 16 of which present a project to assess. For these contributions, after a thorough discussion of the jury at the 20th January 2010, the project of architect Plöderl in cooperation with AT4 Architects was awarded the 1st prize.
Designed as a two- way angular shape the building does not break the surrounding building situation of Andorf but continues at a comfortable scale. The zoning of space, green space and traffic space are arranged urbanistically balanced on the predefined construction site. The intelligent angular structure design was the only project in the competition that allows noise protection by the building itself, even enhanced by the docking of the gymnasium in the second construction stage- a "different" project, but in balance concerning architecture and function.
Surrounded by agglomerations of detached houses, directly next to the West- railway line, vis a vis the Andorf train- station, shape and position of the site determine the basic idea of the new school building.
The concept intones in the middle of the site two to each other grouped, angular structures, surrounding an attractive courtyard. A, slightly distanced from the main structure, gym hall and adjacent sports and leisure areas complement a spatially permeable school area.
In the western part of the site the new road accesses the forecourt and the main entrance of the school. A large- scale three- storey entrance hall connects the courtyard, the main communal areas (learning and information centre, library, Buffet, management ...) the school and workshop wing and the southern open areas.
An angular single- level structure groups the workshops from the North to the East. In the North the delivery for the workshops takes place and a wide green belt accommodates the necessary pitches, the annex for the technical supply of the workshops, as well as in the East the pedestrian access from the train station’s side entrance.
The angular two- storey wing lies in the South and West on the base floor containing the classrooms located at a large distance to the railway line.
From the main staircase students access the de- central wardrobes, which are situated right next to the classrooms and the ‘galleries’ that sit generously as recreation areas in the airspace of the hall, overlooking the schoolyard to the North- East towards the centre of Andorf.
Glazings at the end of the hallways as well as light slots in the roof provide generous and differentiated daylight situations in the hall and staircases, as well as a bright and friendly atmosphere for students and teachers. Spatially differentiated transitional zones allow diverse interaction for the students.
The square built over two angular structures, which is accessed via a shared entrance hall, emphasizes the two keystones of the HTL- education: theory and practice.
The theory tract is situated in a way averting the train from the classrooms and the movement areas are arranged on the rail side. The tract for practical education is closer to the railway line and thus takes away much of the noise. The arrangement of the two buildings defines a courtyard that will be shared with the entrance hall as an auditorium as the school develops. The gym is planned as an appendix to offer the possibility of external access and can therefore also be used by local clubs. The two entangled angular buildings with the connected gym fit, despite a bigger cubature compared to local residential developments, perfectly into the surroundings.