This building complex creates a new link between urban Chemnitz-Sonneberg and the Zeisigwald forest. The nature and energy trail is a core element of landscape planning. It serves as a mediator between school buildings and guides users across the school grounds into the forest. While the front part of the trail mainly features sports activities, the part close to the forest focusses on making nature palpable in educationally elaborated spaces. The transition between city and nature is also emphasized in terms of architecture. At the city end, façades are characterized by strict geometrical shapes, whereas the façades at the forest end are determined by plants and natural materials. The school’s active involvement with its surroundings is supported by the architectural concept of „explorative learning“. Space thus becomes a third educational instance for pupils. This can be illustrated by energy courtyards, which are the centres of each learning building and foster environmental awareness in a playful way. The wide range of communication spaces offered by the new educational landscape present an informal invitation to make classes more rythmic

Project Team

Dipl.-Ing. Susanne Hofmann (Project management), Dip.-Arch. Marlen Kärcher, Dipl.-Ing. Jannes Wurps und Katharina Schawinski, Christian Necker, Lisa Plücker

Client

Stadt Chemnitz

Budget/Area

GBK 45.000.000 Euro/ 9000 m²

Work Stages

eingeladener Wettbewerb

Period

Spring 2008