Town Hall Mietingen | Muffler Architekten

The centrally located site in Mietingen is characterized by its proximity to the Catholic Church of St. Laurentius, the course of Kirchstraße, and the simple structural forms of surrounding existing buildings. Additionally, the terrain slopes from west to east. To the south, the existing Kaplansgässle path provides a village-style pedestrian connection between the church and the main road, crossing the planned development site. The goal was to create a striking building, mindful of these urban planning parameters, that would establish a “New Town Center” for Mietingen, fostering interaction and communication.

The design focuses on the spatial relationship created alongside St. Lauren- tius Church. This spatial framework extends across Kirchstraße, forming a generous open area that, together with the existing church plaza, defines a “New Town Center” in an urban context. Kirchstraße is demarcated only by a change in paving material at its edge, maintaining the perception of a co- hesive town center. The church plaza features the fountain of the “White Sisters.”

The new town hall takes its place prominently within the “New Town Cen- ter,” defining the town square. The polygonal building opens its main ent- rance toward the neighboring church and is surrounded by a paved area that extends beyond the town square, allowing for community events. The annual Christmas market and other village festivals will be centered around the town hall, utilizing the open space.

The secondary entrance with the connecting staircase, as well as the staff entrance, is accessible from the south. Parking, with 18 spaces, is arranged in the southern green space and accessed via the western plaza area. Addi- tionally, two disabled parking spaces and three spots with electric charging stations for cars and bicycles are accessible from Kirchstraße in the northwest corner of the property. A photovoltaic (PV) system covers a row of parking spaces and a garbage enclosure, forming a steel pergola. Bicycle parking is integrated into the pergola. The amorphous structure of the buil- ding spans two stories, capped with a mono-pitch gable roof featuring alu- minum standing seam cladding.

The design adapts to the site’s topography, with the ground floor divided into two levels. One level includes the entrance, meeting room, and foyer, along with necessary adjacent rooms, while the other level, 90 cm higher, houses the public-facing areas such as the citizens’ office and other admi- nistrative sections. The staircase on the south side provides access to the 

basement and upper floor, where the staff entrance is also located. Public restrooms, accessible from the exterior, are also situated on this level. A representative staircase leads to the upper floor, and all levels are connec- ted via an elevator for barrier-free access.

On the upper floor, the mayor’s office, with direct access to the ceremonial room, along with the finance office and other administrative offices, are ar- ranged. A central light well naturally illuminates the corridor areas.
The façade reflects the stone effect of the plaza paving, with the building clad in a homogeneous beige brick. This design choice emphasizes the sig- nificance of the building and its relationship to the public square. A light ce- ment wash softens the texture of the brick façade, ensuring the building’s distinctive form takes precedence.

The structural system is built as a reinforced concrete frame with columns and flat slabs. A ribbed concrete structure provides extended spans in the meeting room. The roof structure, made of wood, includes an open section for the light well. Partition walls in the offices are designed for easy recon- figuration, allowing flexible adaptation of the interior layout. The building’s clear design concept projects a unified and purposeful appearance. Hori- zontally arranged windows allow variable positioning for partition walls, while a large east-facing window connects the meeting room to the out- door area, establishing sightlines across the town square and beyond. The first-floor ceremonial room features a prominent window with a direct view of St. Laurentius Church.

The meeting room walls are acoustically clad in oak wood, giving the room a warm yet calm and inviting atmosphere. Oak is used consistently throug- hout, in door frames, doors, and window casings, establishing a cohesive material aesthetic. Public areas feature travertine natural stone flooring, while carpet is used in office spaces.

All construction materials were selected for durability, safety, and ecologi- cal sustainability, prioritizing ease of building maintenance and manage- ment over time.