More Space for ISTA Kindergarten Children

While in the heart of its expansion phase, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) fosters its family-friendly tradition by announcing a new and more modern kindergarten on campus. The new kindergarten will offer spacious and inviting rooms within a sustainably built wooden house that ultimately generates more energy than it consumes.

ISTA is growing—by 2036, the campus will be home to 150 research groups. With the planned expansion—both in the number of staff and in physical space—comes a need to upgrade the child daycare facilities already offered on campus. This will help foster the Institute’s family-friendly atmosphere and strengthen its example as a living campus. With all arrows pointing upwards, ISTA now announces the winning project of the architectural competition aimed at establishing a calm, comfortable, and sustainable eight-group kindergarten close to nature. The project, called “Our New Kindergarten” by Work Space Architekten ZT GmbH, will combine comfort, modernity, and sustainability, and the building will generate more energy than it consumes.

This is possible due to a photovoltaic system on the roof and the use of geothermal energy for heating and cooling. In addition, a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere will be granted to the Institute’s youngest researchers by the interior design, mainly crafted from wood. The new kindergarten will be situated where the tennis court currently resides, in a spacious, green, sunny, and tranquil location. The tennis court will be relocated to the sports court area. The construction is planned to start in early 2024 and the new kindergarten is expected to open its doors toward mid-2025.

ISTA is delighted that the kindergarten will allow children to enjoy a large garden and the proximity to the forest adjacent to the campus.