Learning Landscapes under Roof Landscapes / Sehw Architektur

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It is well known that the most climate-friendly house is the one that has already been built. Sehw has had a passion for existing buildings, continuing construction, refurbishing, and revitalizing them — for over 25 years. Architects at Sehw are driven by the fascination of continuing the stories, rethinking spatial relationships, and uncovering and revealing the qualities of existing structures. As the construction of the climate-friendly building, the Andreas Primary School, progresses, each component, each room, and each individual construction stage becomes part of this narrative — a story of education, community, and contemporary yet timeless architecture.The most significant challenge was executing the construction work on a confined inner-city plot while the school remained in operation and minimizing disruption for pupils and teachers. This was a key reason for using prefabricated timber construction to erect the new buildings. The holistic planning approach considers not only architectural aspects but also organizational ones. Sehw Architektur consistently opted for timber system construction to accommodate ecological considerations while enabling an aesthetically appealing design. The distinctive roof landscape, vertical timber cladding as the building envelope, and freely composed window openings lend the building a both powerful and playful appearance. Natural and warm surfaces and shades are predominant among the materials and colors selected.Opting for timber system construction at an early stage emphasizes the project’s focus on sustainability and facilitates a rapid construction process. Adhering to Passive House standards for the building envelope, coupled with ventilation technology with heat recovery, the use of sustainably produced district heating, and intensively greened sloping roofs complete the sustainability concept as regards energy efficiency, water management, biodiversity, and microclimate.Text description provided by the architects.Sehw Architektur’s latest project once again exemplifies the three pillars of Sehw’s architecture. The new timber building in the existing ensemble impresses with its innovative approach, its sustainability, and the social added value it creates.Social added value manifests in the creation of communal areas both indoors and outdoors, informal learning spaces, and a modern school canteen. These spaces are not just functional but serve as meeting points and communication hubs for pupils and teachers, promote social interaction, and create a pleasant learning and working environment.The L-shaped floor plans of the new buildings create several interconnected open spaces, which were programmatically designed as a school garden, playground, movement area, etc. In the layout, the movement zones are assigned to the schoolyards, thus creating frequency, visibility, and communication. The classrooms and other functional spaces are facing the quieter side to ensure focused learning. The differently sized and positioned windows allow daylight to penetrate deep into the rooms and contribute to a feel-good environment. The architectural design demonstrates an innovative approach to school construction projects. The use of modern timber system construction with a high degree of prefabrication ensures that innovation is not just a buzzword but an integral part of the design.It was no easy building task for the architects. The challenge was to renovate two aging buildings from the 1950s and combine them into a holistic ensemble through the addition of several new structures. The aim was to create a contemporary and pedagogically inspiring teaching and learning environment that meets the modern requirements for educational institutions. The newly created “learning village” with its four buildings in the center of the city achieves just that. The design of the new timber building on the existing school campus mediates between the existing and the new buildings by continuing the gabled roofs of the post-war modernist style and transforming them into a landscape of sloping roof surfaces.