With the newly created “Quartier Wolkersdorf” in Austria, the architectural office Atelier Deubner Lopez ZT OG has realized a vibrant place for community, culture, and faith. Through a careful renovation and selective extensions, the former parish center has been transformed into a modern, multifunctional building. The decision to use a Tonality terracotta façade underscores the aim of making timeless values such as durability, responsibility, and authenticity visible. The terracotta elements not only provide architectural accents but also stand out for their longevity, resilience, and freedom from maintenance. The combination of profiled terracotta panels and delicate squares ensures a precisely structured façade. Natural tones and high-quality surfaces create a harmonious connection with the historical surroundings.

In Lower Austria’s Wolkersdorf, Quartier Wolkersdorf represents a forward-looking community project that unites the needs of the church, municipality, and culture under one roof. The former parish center was completely gutted, partially deconstructed, and transformed into a multifunctional event venue through targeted new additions—all within just 16 months. The planning focused on sustainability, respectful handling of the existing structure, and a durable, architecturally refined building envelope.

Three Levels for Community and Function

The new complex extends across three levels, combining different uses: The ground floor houses the parish, while the upper floors are used by the municipality. The heart of the building is a multipurpose hall for up to 400 people, complemented by flexible group rooms, catering areas, and auxiliary spaces. The brick-concrete hybrid structure underwent comprehensive energy optimization while largely preserving the existing framework to maximize the use of embodied energy and conserve resources. With green roofs, photovoltaic systems, and connection to the local district heating network, the building meets the highest ecological standards. Certification under the Austrian klimaaktiv Gold Standard proves its strong commitment to environmental responsibility.

A Façade with Depth

The Tonality terracotta façade gives the building its distinctive appearance. It is not only a visual highlight but also an expression of a consistently sustainable approach to construction. Covering a total façade area of 625 square meters, it divides the building into two visually distinct sections: The lower section, in the shade “Toscana,” features a smooth surface with irregular vertical joints—created both by transitions between elements and deliberately integrated false joints. The upper section, in the light “Cream” tone, displays a custom-developed relief design featuring staggered ribs between 50 and 15 millimeters wide. The 50 mm ribs form the prominent, foreground façade structure, while the 15 mm ribs are recessed and optically understated. Depending on the time of day, the façade subtly changes its appearance, revealing the textural depth of the terracotta surfaces. The natural coloring and pleasant tactile quality of the terracotta elements also ensure a seamless connection with the adjacent parish church.

More about the TONALITY® Terracotta Façade

Vertically arranged terracotta squares support the façade’s structure while also serving as privacy screens. The 50 x 50 mm squares, combined with the other components, generate a calm yet varied surface effect. Their dimensions continue the lines of the 50 mm terracotta ribs consistently. The play of light and shadow unfolds both on the exterior and interior—an architectural detail of true added value. For this project, a total of 143 linear meters of “Cream” tonal squares were produced and installed in a suspended configuration.

Façade Quality for Generations

Tonality terracotta is fired at high temperatures, giving it a dense, scratch-resistant, and colorfast surface. It is resistant to frost, UV radiation, and common forms of soiling such as moss, algae growth, or graffiti. This ensures that even in public environments, the façade remains visually appealing and virtually maintenance-free—an investment built to last for generations.

Light, Robust, Efficient: The Advantages of a Weight-Optimized Façade

Another advantage of the Tonality façade is its low weight: At 36 to 38 kilograms per square meter, it weighs significantly less than conventional double-chamber façade bricks, which can exceed 60 kilograms per square meter with similar visible geometry. This low self-weight makes the system particularly attractive for renovations where structural load capacity is limited. It also allows for a lighter substructure—requiring less material, fewer fasteners and wall anchors, and resulting in fewer thermal bridges. For façade areas of around 1,000 square meters, transportation requirements for Tonality terracotta elements are reduced by approximately one truckload compared to double-shell systems. All raw materials are sourced within a 25-kilometer radius of the production site, strengthening regional value creation.

A Future-Oriented Façade Solution

Quartier Wolkersdorf stands as a model for architecture that unites aesthetic quality, technical innovation, and ecological responsibility. The ventilated Tonality terracotta façade combines lasting quality with timeless design ambition, flexible application, and efficient use of resources—from local raw material extraction to installation. It offers architects a sustainable façade solution with true character.

Project Data

Project: Extension and conversion of the existing parish center into a multifunctional event building, Wolkersdorf im Weinviertel, Austria
Clients: Parish of Wolkersdorf (Archdiocese of Vienna) and Municipality of Wolkersdorf, both in Wolkersdorf im Weinviertel, Austria
Project management: DELTA AG, Vienna & Wels, Austria
Architecture and site supervision: Atelier Deubner Lopez ZT OG, Gänserndorf, Austria
Terracotta façade: Tonality, Weroth
Façade construction period: July to December 2024
Overall construction period: Autumn 2023 to January 2025

Download press package (German)