Schönwalde elementary school site in Wandlitz. Living campus in the landscape.
Since the existing location ultimately did not offer sufficient space for expansion, the decision was made to reorient the school to a new elementary school location. The competition brief formulated the design of a school with a cafeteria, after-school care, gymnasiums, outdoor sports facilities and high-quality open spaces. Special attention was paid to the ecologically valuable peripheral location of the planning area.
Project dataThe design shows a coherent, campus-like ensemble of buildings with the adjacent landscape area in the south. The striking prelude to the new campus is the gymnasium, which can be operated independently of the school campus. The playful arrangement of the buildings succeeds in orienting almost all school rooms as well as the gymnasium roof garden to the south and thus to the landscape. All open spaces are placed facing the open landscape and serve to integrate the overall facility into its surroundings. The arrangement of paths, access roads and parking spaces ensures that extracurricular uses can take place in the campus parallel to school activities without disruption.
House in house
With their program, the buildings are intended to form a sequence of spaces that creates school culture and provides conditions that allow learning in a variety of ways. The building volume is deliberately divided into individual houses that are connected by a corridor system similar to a street network.
Between the structures, meeting and movement spaces are created that can be used multifunctionally. To encourage creativity and sensory experiences, areas for "loud" and "quiet" are designated within the campus, which naturally separate and function side by side. In addition, educational opportunities such as school gardens, beehives, and a green classroom are provided. The surrounding greenery is programmable in a variety of ways. To the east and south, the campus is broken up to fit the landscape. As a result, the school facility is embedded in the greenery.
Wood modules and expandability
The new building is planned in wood modules. Renewable raw materials are to be used, which are sustainable and have an atmospheric effect. The construction consists of modules that are prefabricated and only need to be assembled. This creates a school concept that combines both economy and quality. An extension can be carried out without any problems during operation. The expandability consists of the fact that additional classrooms are already laid out as outdoor rooms or terrace rooms on the floors and can be expanded at any time. This means that no further surface sealing is necessary.