Waechter + Waechter Architekten

Description

The structuralist, cluster-like design expresses the restlessness of learning – the constant searching, the reflection, the forays, the curiosity, the looking in all directions – and nonetheless does so in a disciplined fashion with systematic order. The structure playfully integrates itself into the plot and, due to its position on the diagonal, enters into dialogue with the existing buildings. The multi-unit, stepped façade offers views in several directions in order to enable «learning while searching». The pavilionlike new build nestles into the landscape of the adjoining Kottenforst forest. Its small sections and fitting scale blend in with the heterogeneous building context. The meshlike building structure is transferred to a wooden skeleton with a clear, continuous column grid and economical span widths and allows for a high degree of variability and flexibility. The result is a multimodal and communication-focused learning landscape with many different structures, which encourages varied, differentiated and self-directed learning and work.

Thanks to the floor plan, which is based on just two grid sizes, the number of connections for the structural elements is reduced to a minimum, making the most of the benefits the modular construction has to offer. The compact building, (passive) construction measures and efficient systems engineering ensure that the desired energy efficiency is achieved. In combination with the use of sustainable materials, this constitutes the basis for a DGNB gold certificate.