With the new construction of the canteen, including an all-day area and classrooms, the school grounds of the Neuenstein Community School are being reorganized. The canteen extends in an east-west direction, closing a gap between buildings. Spatially, the new structure frames the schoolyard from the south. To the east and north, a covered access to the canteen forms the courtyard’s boundary.

The dining hall on the ground floor is directly connected to the schoolyard, where 300 meals can be prepared for students in a two-shift operation. One level below, the rooms for all-day activities open in the opposite direction towards the historic school building. Both levels are accessible at ground level.

The structure is divided into a tall, light-filled canteen area and a lower, more restrained section that houses the ancillary rooms. The façade is made of sandstone masonry, allowing the new building to blend naturally with the historic schoolhouse while also referencing the nearby Neuenstein Castle.

Inside, the material palette is completed with durable and industrial materials, including rubber flooring, plywood for walls and doors, and wood wool panels on the ceilings.

Design: Steinbach Schimmel Architekten
Photography: Zooey Braun