Two atriums provide light-flooded meeting areas
Due to the increasing demand for space, the Association of the Schwieberdingen-Hemmingen Municipal Administration decided to expand the school complex, which impresses with its energy efficiency and sustainable construction methods.
The new wing of the building, which houses students in the ninth and tenth grades, was opened in October 2023. Grades 5 to 8 will remain in the existing building, which will be completely refurbished in line with modern standards by 2025. The new educational campus now offers space for 670 students instead of the previous 500.
Both buildings, designed by architects Auer Weber from Stuttgart, are based on clearly recognisable learning buildings with functional centres. The classrooms and the interactive common room are grouped around two atriums, which provide generous amounts of daylight even deep inside the building. This is an important aspect of school constructions because, as the recently published Healthy Buildings Barometer emphasised once again, more daylight can improve pupils' performance by up to 18%.
In order to fulfil the customer's wishes, the glazing of the atriums had to meet various requirements. The choice fell on the self-supporting BA mullion-transom system. 15 fixed, and one openable glass element was installed on the roof of the school. In addition to the large amounts of daylight, this solution also provides ventilation control.
However, indoor air quality is not the only factor influencing improved learning efficiency and pleasant environments; visual stimuli also play an important role. The coloured green and blue linoleum flooring that covers the atrium floors create different lighting moods. The green flooring creates a friendly, natural atmosphere, while the blue one creates a harmonious, creative mood.
Other measures in the new building that have led to the fulfilment of the KfW Energy Efficiency Standard EG 40 include the creation of green roof, the installation of its own photovoltaic systems to generate energy and the application of solar shading in the atriums.