At the heart of the EU

The new building for the International German School of Brussels creates an overall ensemble that makes individual learning houses visible to the outside as interwoven cubes. Together with the sports hall, they form a building that is rhythmically structured by terraces and inner courtyards and rests on a continuous ground floor. The resulting distinction in the vertical design reflects the division of functions between the publicly accessible and communal uses on the ground floor and the general learning spaces and classrooms on the upper levels. The location of the school hall at the main entrance strengthens the connection between the building and the urban space. Each of the three-storey learning houses has its own identity and circulation space thanks to an open stairway, which, with its seating steps, is both a meeting place and a place for informal learning. The design as a hybrid solid timber building using prefabrication ensures both an ecological and economical building method by shortening the construction time. “This design is based on the principles of energy-optimised construction and fulfils the sustainability requirements in an exemplary manner,” the competition jury concluded.