Address	Municipality of Langenegg, Bach 127, A-6941 Langenegg
Builder-owner	Municipality of Langenegg
Architects	Josef Fink, Markus Thurnher Heating, ventilation, sanitation planning: E Plus, Egg Electrical planning: Hecht Andreas, Rankweil Building physics: Künz Lothar, Hard
Companies involved	Building master, timber construction, interior joinery (carpentry) General builders: Dragaschnig Schwarzenberg Carpentry: Kaspar Greber, Bezau (timber construction and interior joinery) Wooden windows: Flatz Kurt, Alberschwende Furniture carpentry: Martin Nenning, Krumbach, Mätzler Franz, Andelsbuch
Information on use	Basement: rehearsal room for local band and choir, 140m² Basement: youth centre, 60m² Ground floor: playgroup, 85m² Ground floor: exercise room (gymnasium), area of use 61m² Ground floor: multipurpose entrance hall, 40m² Upper floor: two separate group rooms, each of 70m² Upper floor: a communal kitchen for both group rooms, 14m² Upper floor: changing-area and sanitary facilities, 65m²
Facts & figures	Competition: student architecture project, architects’ competition Start of planning: 2003 Start of construction: January 2004 Completion: September 2004 Ground area: volleyball court, children’s playground and sports ground and kindergarten building are on a site of about 1,800m² Built-on area: 278m² Gross floor area: 846m² Useable area: 667m² Number of floors: 3 Building costs: general contractors’ tender for two buildings. Net costs for both buildings, without furnishing, € 1.5 million Manufacturing costs of the timber parts (construction and joinery) Miscellaneous
Construction details	Building construction: reinforced-concrete cellar, the rest as a timber construction Interior access: Roof construction: wooden-dowel ceiling, flat bitumen roof with gravel Facade construction: diagonal panelling, rear-ventilated wooden slats Interior joinery: floors, doors, furnishing, ceilings, walls and floors of untreated, rough-sawn silver fir; tables and chairs of untreated silver fir. The municipality purchased all of the silver fir from local forest owners, and made it available to the general contractors.
Energy	Special technical energy characteristics: controlled ventilation and de-aeration with recycled heat, heating- and ventilation control, sensors and movement detectors for lighting control Energy supply (source): chippings for central municipal heating supply, recycled heat from the ventilation systems Energy consumption: about 32 kWh/m² a. Insulation values: exterior wall U-values 0.13; roof 0.16, windows 0.6, all in W/m²K Unique feature The first two buildings were erected according to the ecological building principles of the Vorarlberg Environmental Association. Direct purchase of 1,500 cubic metres of silver fir timber from  Langenegg forest lots; timber cut at the local sawmill; No halogen-content materials in the sanitary-, water-, waste-, air-inlet pipes, conduction- and heating insulation, assembly foam, wall penetration and central vacuum-cleaner pipes; PVC-free electrical installation. Energy saving lighting, automatic switch-off lighting, movement detectors and sensors. Extra costs for an ecological building method amounted to about 1.5%
Silver fir	Sustainable municipal policy Added value in the region Natural authenticity

 

Langenegg Kindergarten also accommodates a rehearsal room, a youth centre and an exercise room or gymnasium. The entrance hall is also meant to be of multiple use.

Langenegg Kindergarten also accommodates the rehearsal room for the local musical association and choir. Also in the building is the youth centre and an exercise room or gymnasium for associations and groups of gymnasts in the community. The entrance hall is also of a multipurpose conception. Small cultural events take place there. The building was erected and opened in 2004 and all around the building playgrounds and a volleyball court were constructed as meeting infrastructure. Of the 846m² gross floor area, only 278m² were built on. The cellar was made of concrete. The rest of the building was constructed fully of silver fir. The roof comprises a wood-dowel ceiling, a specific process to produce glue-free composite timber. The facades comprise diagonal timber panelling with rear-ventilated wooden slats. The architects Josef Fink and Markus Thurner were not only able to win the competition, they also received awards for architecture. The special energy concept was drawn up by the E+ planning cooperative. With the ventilation and de-aeration and connection to the local biomass heating plant, an efficient energy concept could be realised. The constructional firms all come from the municipality or from the surrounding communities. Rough-sawn silver fir was used predominantly for the interior joinery. All silver fir comes from the local municipality forest property. You can learn more in the following explanations.

Spatial planning

A new kindergarten and a café – extended by youth facilities, associations and sports – are to enhance the community centre. 

From a description by the architects, Fink/Thurnher

“From a historical point of view, the community centre of Langenegg is modestly articulated and is formed by a group of public buildings. A new kindergarten and a café – extended by facilities for youths, associations and sports are to enhance the community centre. Through the location of the existing buildings, a series of square-like areas on different levels is created. At the same time a change in the optical relationships takes place from the northern view of the slope to the panoramic view in the south at this point.

The two new buildings – kindergarten and café – bring this situation to a theme in a natural way. With the property, the reciprocally orientated kindergarten forms a portal situation. It borders a new square, which connects the lower lying school playground with the higher areas. The kindergarten foyer lengthens the angle of this view into the interior. This central access space, as well as the protected entrance niche, is in style after the traditional buildings. The use of untreated silver fir (as building material for the interior joinery) supports this dialogue with local building culture. The exclusive use of only one building material demands great discipline in design and thus fosters the creation of constructions and detailed solutions of great clarity. The sensory quality of the untreated timber is enhanced by measurable criteria, such as pollution-free air in the room and an excellent ecological balance.

The café marks the place of the panoramic view. The special location is accentuated through the building type, with a base and an excavated ground floor that is transparent at the front. Similar to the kindergarten, the building is defined by completely different views- and spatial relationships in this place. Through this typological relationship of the two new buildings, a spatial field of tension is unmistakably and simultaneously set up by the respective situation.”

Viewing the interior of the kindergarten is possible only on advance notice.

Viewing is best undertaken outside of the kindergarten opening times. The kindergarten times are currently Mon – Fri from 7.30am to 1pm and Thu from 1pm to 4.30pm.

Duration:   1 hrs
Number of people:   max. 20 persons

Topics:   Making the best use of natural and cultural resources
Module type:   Specialism module

Do not miss the café and its wonderful view when you come to see the kindergarten.

Municipality of Langenegg
Bach 127
6941 Langenegg, Austria

Phone:   +43 5513 4101, Fax ext 20
Email:   gemeinde@langenegg.at

There is a café accommodated in the immediately adjacent second building. This building was erected at the same time, in the same style, and according to the same basic principles. There are two inns in the near vicinity. The Energy Trail is currently being made between these buildings; the walking time is 7 to 10 minutes. The village alpine dairy is managed as a show attraction where guided tours are also offered.
The community also offers attractions and points of interest. The municipality has received multiple awards for its energy policy and for its “A Life Worth Living” project. Langenegg is considered an exemplary community in regional development.