Along the School Boulevard

The clear exterior structure is continued in the interior. The structuring of the architectural figure reflects the organisation inside the building. Theme-based families of rooms are grouped into building units and interconnected via a central circulation axis. The forecourt as a meeting point and prelude to the building merges smoothly into the two-storey forum. The forum is a versatile, communicative space for all kinds of events. It is the beating heart of the school. The school hall and the library are arranged around the central forum and complete the southern part of the new school building, which is dedicated to communal uses. The central axis stretching in a north-south direction, the “school boulevard”, ensures easy and clear orientation and connects the individual functional areas with each other. The alternating arrangement of the cluster units results in a varied and well-lit circulation throughout the building. On the ground floor, interior and exterior spaces interlock in a variety of ways: the schoolyard connects spaciously with the school building, while the multi-purpose room and the canteen have directly assigned outdoor areas that can be used independently of each other; the arts and crafts area includes a work yard.

The new building is finished with a robust masonry façade made of light-coloured, whitewashed facing bricks, which gives the building masses a calming, uniform appearance. The strict order of large window elements in wood-aluminium construction divides the upper-floor façades of the classrooms and science labs. In the interior, too, the atmosphere is enhanced by the selective use of wood-based materials. In addition to the materials just mentioned, the purposeful use of daylight and colour ensures a pleasant atmosphere and good orientation. Large window openings, inner courtyards and the generously glazed entrance areas allow daylight to reach deep into the building and optimal natural lighting. The colour scheme was planned as an integral component. To this end, we used Le Corbusier’s colour collection from 1959. Based on Polychromie Architecturale, we chose five harmonising shades. Each was assigned to a cluster and translated into large pictograms, colour-accentuated entrances and stairways. This not only generates a welcoming atmosphere, but also makes it easy for everyone to find their way around the building.

The building was planned and built according to passive house construction, which means that it remains 20% below the requirements of the 2016 German Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV). Following the recent completion, the certification process according to the Assessment System for Sustainable Building (BNB), which also played a major role during the planning, will take place. The aim is to achieve a BNB Silver certification. In addition to energy efficiency, other topics such as ecology, economic efficiency, socio-cultural added value, architectural quality and process quality are also taken into account in this certification – the criteria of the sehw sustainability compass. The result is an energy-efficient, sustainable building for which all phases, from planning to construction and operation to deconstruction, have been optimally designed.

Even before its completion, the project was awarded several prizes and highlighted in best practice publications. For example, sehw received the BUILD AWARD Best Educational Facility Design – Germany for this project in 2017 and the NRW state government’s award as an Energy-efficient Non-residential Building in 2020, and it was featured in LOGbuch No.1 of the International Building Exhibition (IBA) Heidelberg.