Forensic Therapeutic Centre

Situated 45 km outside of Vienna, Schloss Göllersdorf Forensic Therapeutic Centre accommodates criminals with serious and long-term psychological disorders who were not mentally fit at the time of the offence. After 40 years in operation, the historic Renaissance ensemble and the 1980s extension are in urgent need of a fundamental modernisation and strategic extension. Embedded in a spacious park, the complex will be supplemented with two new buildings for living groups and a new service wing. Our design picks up on the courtyard structure of the existing building and creates links to the natural habitat on all sides, while offering the residents private green spaces with small loggias in the rooms.

»The project bears many impressive facets: its spatial plan, how it communicates with the existing building, the architectural language, and the quality of its indoor and outdoor spaces – the design is an exceptional solution for the location.«

Excerpt from the jury protocol

Treatment and Care

In so-called forensic commitment, people receive psychiatric-medical treatment and psychosocial care to attend to any illness-related dangers that the patients might pose. Criminal detention in this facility is intended to prevent people from committing criminal offences under the influence of their serious and long-term psychological disorders. An important factor is a structured daily routine, including activities in one of the workshops, the laundry, or the garden. The aim is to gradually enable residents to become as independent as possible. Accommodation will now only be provided in single rooms and occasionally two-person rooms, which is one of the main reasons why the existing facilities had to be extended.

Nature all Around

The strict security requirements of a prison are enforced in and around the entire facility.  The detained individuals are housed in rooms within living groups. For these spaces, we have designed two new buildings with green courtyards in the north towards the park. All of the living groups look out over the landscape, while the common areas and staff rooms are centred around the courtyards. The new rooms are furnished with room-height windows; the façade is set back from the outer security bars, creating a zone for loggias as small private open spaces. The offset layout of the buildings prevents intrusive views from neighbours while affording broad panoramas into the natural surroundings.

»The choice of clinker brick for the façades is particularly worth mention. It creates a warm atmosphere, and the projecting building elements ensure natural visual screening and sun protection.«

Excerpt from the jury protocol

Clear Structure and Short Paths

Our design connects up directly with the existing extension to the castle from the 1980s with a new service wing to the north. This main circulation axis provides access to common areas, such as the multi-purpose hall, the cafeteria, and the workshops, and allows for easy orientation. It links all three buildings with a variety of spatial situations spanning two upper floors and one sublevel. Short distances from A to B, abundant daylight, and a clear structure in the overall complex facilitate smooth workflows and simplify the day-to-day tasks of the staff.

»The access and circulation in the complex and the supply and disposal systems are very well solved. All in all, the project’s architectural quality and conceptual rigour make an extremely positive contribution to the difficult assignment in this special context. «

Excerpt from the jury protocol