Making use of existing structures versus demolition and new construction . . . With its renovation and enlargement of an aging school, the h4a architecture office is awakening a little gem from its deep slumber.

“Preserving existing qualities and building for the future”: this was the motto behind the renovation and enlargement of the Friedrich von Keller School, originally constructed by Günter Behnisch in 1966. By means of gentle interventions, the architects were able to introduce a variety of new strengths to this aging school building—transparency, generous spaces, and a variety of visual connections. Corridor areas were transformed into landscapes for learning, thus making the school ready to meet contemporary requirements for studying. The school was the product of Behnisch’s early creative period and was defined by the stylistic tendencies of the 1960s: prefabricated construction methods, technical precision, and a design that was sober and functional as a result. While the city of Ludwigsburg did not confer heritage status on the school, it did voice its desire for the building to be preserved and renovated to make use of its existing spatial qualities.

A school building with defining qualities
Located twenty kilometers north of Stuttgart in Neckarweihingen, the Friedrich von Keller School constitutes the focal point of this residential area. After its renovation, it now radiates a new éclat, even though planners did very little to alter its external appearance. One particular feature is a decades-old tree in the heart of the school building. The lush branches of this magnificent weeping beech spreading above an inner courtyard form a canopy of leaves offering symbolic protection to the children. Visual connections between indoor and outdoor areas ensure this appealing school is firmly anchored in its environment. Generous corridor areas offer space for study landscapes and new educational concepts that go well beyond teacher-centered learning. To accommodate the primary-school pupils’ sense of scale, a terraced design was used to create a school building that never appears to be more than two stories high.

A sensitive approach to the existing structure
Only two main interventions were needed to adapt the school to meet current requirements and growing numbers of pupils. The first of these is a supplemental two-story rectangular building with canteen, additional classrooms, and a library, nestled against the western side of the existing school. The new canteen’s generous glass facade offers views out over the schoolyard, while the upstairs classrooms offer access to the school garden located at the back of the building. The design of this new structure takes up the grid pattern of the existing school, and the gray varnished weather boarding has a pleasant look and feel. The second of these interventions is the new areaway, which also serves as an entrance to the school garden and makes the foyer and garden-level workroom more appealing spaces. The architects chose to open up the facade here by introducing floor-to-ceiling windows. Additional targeted interventions enabled the architects to accommodate today’s needs and educational requirements. They rearranged the inner classrooms and introduced a full-day care facility with access to the school garden. The generous corridor zones were transformed into open areas that can be customized for different educational purposes. A recreation area with climbing wall on the third floor offers a space for pupils to exercise. The planners also improved upon the building’s existing spatial qualities when they reopened the glass dividers between the corridors and classrooms that had been bricked up owing to a lack of space.

Modern spaces for new educational concepts
The architects’ use of materials creates a connection between the existing school and the new building. For example, a sun-yellow rubber floor generates a pleasant sense of warmth in both the old and new structures. Suspended linear-strip ceilings help create a friendly atmosphere. Wooden doors and doorframes, benches, and cupboard elements in oak in all areas ensure a cozy feel. As far as possible, the minimal palette of materials is in line with the cradle-to-cradle principle while also coordinating with the existing building. The architects were able to keep the facade of prefabricated concrete sections, and the extension takes up this design while offering a contemporary look in the form of timber cladding with a gray varnish. Renovation of the existing building was carried out in compliance with norms for energy consumption and fire protection; hazardous materials were removed, and steps were taken to ensure accessibility for all.

The school now offers space for up to three hundred pupils as well as a full-day care facility. Both pupils and teachers are enthusiastic about their new surroundings. Particularly compelling are the school’s structure, the manner in which the floors are connected to one another, the overall transparency, and the relationship to the outdoors. All in all, the school building succeeds in making the pupils feel at home. And
even though the renovation may have encountered a few surprises along the way, the architects have still managed to awaken the school from its deep slumber. The sensitive interventions were geared to the existing structure and reinforce the positive features of the original design, while doing everything necessary to give the school a confident design in line with today’s demands.

Design: h4a Gessert + Randecker Architects
Photography: Zooey Braun