a+t architecture publishers

The dining hall of the Franciscan Sisters' boarding school in Graz, designed by Günter Domenig, with Volker Giencke as collaborator was built between 1975 and 1977, is within the school's inner courtyard.

An 8 cm thick layer of concrete was projected over the original metallic structure to adapt to the organic forms of the porticoes. The original weatherproofing consisted of mortar with white waterproof paint. In 1987, the roofing was renovated and was covered on the outside with a 0.7 mm thick layer of zinc-titanium set onto wooden  battens. Domenig, born in Klagenfurt in 1934, is one of the most relevant architects of what is called the Graz School.

Photos taken by a+t, available under request.

Günter Domenig
School dining hall
Georgigasse 84
Graz, Austria 1977

Joint between the new zinc cladding and the ground

Some ground level openings which illuminate the semi basement level where the service areas are located

The zinc shell was added in 1987 as protection for the previously projected mortar

Original entrance with red carpentry and curved-plastic glazing

The dining hall in relation to the school building and the residence

One end of the building with an exit leading out to the courtyard garden

Interior view showing the metallic nerves of the load bearing structure

The dining hall lacks intermediary columns and the natural light comes from both skylights and from curved carpentry openings. The lighting units are integrated into the irregular surface of the roof

The central skylight has a system of interior slats as protection from the Sun

The original carpentry work has a system of capped screws to hold down the plastic sheets used as glass