Description

The school lies at the edge of Markt Indersdorf, surrounded by an idyllic meadow landscape stretching to the banks of the nearby River Glonn. The meadows are frequently drenched with water; ground water occasionally rises to the surface. The aim was to design a building that respects and brings out the poetry of this place, conserving and protecting its natural beauty. The architectural idea was to raise the entire building above ground level, to create a floating effect. The building is a harmonious and complementary partner to its surroundings, a structure fully engaged with the modern world like Le Corbusier’s iconic masterpiece, Villa Savoye. Only the sports hall and multi-purpose hall are on the ground. The result is a clear compact building that leaves most of the site for the sports facilities and the school garden.

The commission was won as a competition entry in 1998. The architects stressed their view of the school community as a mixture of different age groups from varying backgrounds all with their particular experiences. The aim of the educative process was therefore to nurture the individuality of each and every child within the framework of a disciplined environment. The essence of the architecture is this combination of order and clarity and a strong sense of identity. The elevated rectangle appears as an appropriate symbol for this ideal. Therefore the internal organisation is equally simple. On the west side of the two-storey accommodation block are the classrooms, while the eastern part contains course rooms and specialist classes. Teachers’ rooms, administration and the gymnasium take up the ground floor. Facing the main entrance courtyard are a pair of broad staircases, partly in the open and partly within the leisure hall, encouraging movement between the ground and upper levels. The geometric centre of the site is the tree-shaded courtyard. The formality of the building grid contrasts with asymmetrically positioned deciduous trees, which when mature will dominate the courtyard and integrate the building further into the natural landscape. The layered planning creates a clear social hierarchy starting with the relative intimacy of the classrooms, a place for individual and small group learning. The naturally lit corridors provide views out to the landscape and a place for accidental meetings.

Another key principle informing the architecture is the sustainable agenda. A sophisticated lighting arrangement allows an optimum level of natural daylight to penetrate the building. The heavy internal construction reduces maximum temperatures and creates a stable, comfortable environment. The integrated gymnasium and main hall at ground level enable the use of alternative natural ventilation systems, thus reducing energy use. Exploiting the energy within the ground, an earth duct system cools the inflowing air, which then flows out again through wide vents over the roof. The massive floor construction, which is well insulated from the ground, is a composite of load bearing ferrous concrete and seamless industrial flooring. This has a thermal storage effect. High insulation windows and efficient ventilation provide heat protection in summer. Many other energy saving elements contribute to this thoughtful, mature school building.

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Originally published in: Mark Dudek, Schools and Kindergartens: A Design Manual, Birkhäuser, 2015.