The competition entry for the Anne Frank School in Radebeul comprises learning and therapy rooms designed for use as a special needs school.
The result is a compact building constructed using a hybrid timber-concrete structure, featuring a wraparound pergola and new play and sports areas.
The edge of the site divides the green school playground into sports areas at the bottom and play and break areas at the top; a new orchard borders these areas towards the access road.
The existing tree population is being retained, with the exception of two trees. The increased density of the mixed woodland in the north-west and the green strip along Meißner Straße shields the site from road traffic and the tram loop.
The square building is situated in the centre of the building plot in the northern part of the site, thereby creating a clear division into zones: access road, car park, approach, school playground and the building.
Extending from the access road, the approach with parking spaces widens to the south-east of the school, leading directly to the main entrance. To the west of the new building, towards the mixed woodland, there is space for the running track.
The building spans the existing site edge and integrates it into a split-level floor plan. Encircling pergolas break up the massing of the building and serve as an extension of the learning area outwards. On the ground floor, a covered entrance area is created beneath this, between the drop-off and pick-up zone and the main entrance.
The guiding principle behind the design is to bring all functions together under one roof and to construct the school as a compact building.
The main entrance leads into an open entrance hall with a waiting area, which connects to the central staircase and the two lifts. The required emergency staircases are located on the outside, in the north-east and south-west. Two further entrances in the south-west provide access to the school playground on Level 0 and the sports pitch on Level -1; the exit in the north-east leads to the canteen’s outdoor area and on to the school garden.
In the learning landscapes, learning and therapy pods are grouped around open forums and green courtyards. The surrounding pergolas facilitate orientation and access whilst expanding the range of outdoor spaces. As a meeting place, the school offers a variety of spaces for gatherings in groups of different sizes, whilst the learning areas can also be separated to allow for concentrated work. The orientation of the therapy rooms towards the green courtyards ensures tranquillity and balance.
The energy concept is based on a holistic approach to building temperature control, ventilation and air exchange, and usage-specific lighting. Intelligent building automation minimises running costs and ensures high cost-effectiveness. The heating demand and primary energy demand thus form a solid basis for low-carbon, sustainable building operation.
Extensive green roofing and gravel areas on drainage and retention mats slow down rainwater runoff; the collected rainwater is intended for watering the outdoor areas.
The wraparound balconies define the school’s appearance and are constructed entirely of timber. The mesh panels in the parapet area lend a sense of lightness to the supporting structure in front, whilst the understated facade of large-format timber panels recedes into the background. The sun-shade screens provide individual splashes of colour.
Inside, the use of timber continues – in interior wall cladding, built-in furniture and exposed ceiling beams. The floor coverings vary according to use: cement-bound flooring in entrance areas, circulation spaces and the canteen; linoleum in subject and study rooms; and parquet in art and craft rooms.
The underfloor heating, which covers the entire floor area, makes sitting on the floor comfortable whilst also minimising the number of freestanding objects in the room – in line with the concept of avoiding sensory overload.
