pedevilla architekten / kurt egger

Description

St. Lorenzen is a small community in South Tyrol, an area of the Italian Alps with close proximity to the Austrian border. The new town hall of St. Lorenzen is located on the historic church square, which forms the heart of the village. This location results in two separate spaces: first, the large public square fronted by most of the village’s commercial buildings; second, a private school yard solely reserved for the use of the adjacent elementary school. The new hall is a large structure, corresponding to the proportions of the surrounding buildings. Its mass reads in a clear architectural language that successfully avoids historic reference, except for the use of mineral plaster, the traditional material in the alpine building culture. The building houses both the local administration and the public library. The entrance to both facilities is centrally located on the old church square. The library is situated on the ground floor and the children’s books section is located in direct proximity to the neighbouring school. The offices are located on the first and second floor, away from traffic noise.