Training in the Storefront
WKO – Center of Excellence
With the “Center of Excellence,” the Styrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO Steiermark) has created a new educational hub for the future. The new building replaces the aging WIFI workshops and brings together various training programs under one roof in a modern facility. Our design emerged as the winner of an open, two-stage design competition in 2017.
The New Education Hub in Graz
Spanning approximately 14,200 m² of gross floor area, a compact educational building has been constructed that closely integrates practical and theoretical training programs. The Center of Excellence offers instruction in welding technology, electrical engineering, mechatronics, and HVAC, energy, and building systems—skills that are becoming increasingly important, particularly in the context of the energy transition. The building is not merely a training facility but an integral part of the learning process, in which technology itself becomes the subject of instruction.
We now have Austria's most modern vocational training center to provide the local economy with the best skilled workers.
Markus Kohlmeier
WIFI Curator at the opening in late 2025
Workshops and Knowledge Under One Roof
The architectural design is based on a precise functional layout derived from the requirements of the various training areas.
A highly flexible, generously sized workshop area forms the foundation of the building. This is where the areas requiring high ceilings, high load-bearing capacities, and direct delivery access are located. The layout follows functional workflows and enables efficient use of the space. Along the facade facing Grabenstraße, the workshops are intentionally opened up to the outside and presented as “showcases.”
The structure above, which appears to “float,” houses the theoretical and specialized training areas. It serves as a counterpart to the open workshop zone and is recognizable as a distinct volume. This vertical stacking allows for a clear separation between noisy workshops and quieter learning environments, while at the same time ensuring short distances and a close integration of functions.
A Facade with an Exhibition-Like Quality
The facade design consistently follows the guiding principle of making the core educational process visible to the outside world. In particular, the workshops are opened up to the street through generous glazing and staged as “showcases.” The educational processes thus become part of the urban space and enter into direct dialogue with the public.
On the upper floors, this principle is carried forward in a more nuanced way. A rhythmically structured glass-and-metal facade combines open and closed elements and responds to the specific requirements of each space. While transparent areas allow for natural light and views, opaque elements serve functions such as sun protection and thermal optimization.
Just as the educational center’s technical focus is reflected in its facade of metal, glass, and wood, the various artistic and educational themes can be recognized in the spacious “exhibition formats” of the base facade.
Paul Ohnmacht
Head of Design in Innsbruck
Building Services Worth Showing Off
The building services systems are not only highly efficient and resource-conserving, but are also intentionally left visible. Equipment rooms, utility shafts, ventilation and heating systems in the basement and on the roof, as well as the rooftop photovoltaic system, are used as practical examples for educational purposes. The building itself thus becomes a teaching tool, illustrating technical concepts directly through the built system.
The building envelope alone makes a significant contribution to energy performance. The highly efficient facade design, combined with a high proportion of glass, optimizes passive solar gains in the winter and reduces the heating load. At the same time, light wells ensure intensive use of daylight in the workshops and minimize the need for artificial lighting. The resulting reduction in internal heat loads, supplemented by an external shading system, leads to a low overall cooling load in the summer.
Heating is provided by the existing district heating network. In addition, the energy concept—which incorporates geothermal energy (60 geothermal probes and heat pumps)—makes operations particularly resource-efficient and climate-friendly.
