The perfect place to learn

Modern, vibrant and boasting a unique charm, the organically designed new building for the Gotthard-Müller School in Filderstadt, south of Stuttgart, is impressive.

Photo: Olaf Wiechers, arkitekt, David Matthiesen

The five-storey, barrier-free building at the Bernhäuser Campus spans nearly 6200 square metres and features over 85 rooms for nearly 500 children and young people in the primary and comprehensive school. Planned and executed by Behnisch Architekten in Stuttgart, the new building is surrounded by balconies and boasts a spacious green roof terrace, attached to the art rooms on the top floor, giving it an open, spirited and inviting feel.

The centrally located Agora connects the comprehensive school to the adjacent secondary school, and its inviting ambience makes it ideal as a venue for celebrations and meetings. The expansive area features many planter boxes with seating and is reminiscent of a Greek amphitheatre.

Flooded with light, open and colourful

Inside the new building, which is flooded with light and equipped with open staircases as well as a canteen and library, there are many specialist rooms in addition to so-called ‘houses of learning’. Unlike most schools, these are structured in such a way that there are always two classrooms connected by open and flowing transition areas through a group room. Wide corridors are designed as ‘pathways of learning’ with numerous niches, offering a number of retreat options for pupils.

Bright spring colours including yellow, green and orange on the upper floors convey a relaxed, feel-good atmosphere while also serving as orientation through the building. Orange indicates the primary school, green represents the comprehensive school and yellow is for common areas. Neutral colours denote the ground floor areas that house the kitchen, administration, specialist rooms, a utility room and the canteen. The colours also appear on the facade of the new building.

Acoustic panels form part of the overall design

The designers used Troldtekt acoustic ceiling panels to meet the client’s special requirements for optimised acoustics in the classrooms and spacious canteen. Their natural colour matches the warm yellow floors, colourful walls and numerous wood elements perfectly.