With its model concept, the Franz-Binder-Verbundschule in Neckarsulm is opening up new perspectives for pupils. For the first time in the state, its model integrates the Realschule, Gemeinschaftsschule and Werkrealschule courses into a comprehensive educational landscape under one roof. In this way, the integrated school makes itself independent of current structural and school policy changes and can react flexibly to them. It also creates a future-oriented learning environment for its pupils that is geared towards their needs.
The architectural implementation of the integrated school by a+r Architekten follows the principle of clusters, which organize learning areas in open, flexible spaces and thus support interaction and collaborative learning. Learning in the clusters encourages movement and learning in motion helps to reduce stress and creates a better learning atmosphere.
“We have continuously refined the school’s spatial concept in close and intensive collaboration with the teachers at the school,” emphasizes Florian Gruner, architect and managing director at a+r.” This sensitivity and commitment of the Stuttgart and Tübingen-based architecture firm can be felt in every room of the school building. The new joint school, Neckarsulm’s largest construction project, combines the two existing community schools from Obereisesheim and Amorbach with the local Werkrealschule and adds a secondary school branch. Since the school was founded in 2020, the school has had to rely on interim solutions in terms of space. The new school building is therefore a major milestone for both pupils and teachers, giving their school community of around 850 people a home and its own identity.
School campus on the Sulm
The building volume of the new school is divided into three interlocking building sections – the canteen building with the main entrance, the cluster building in the middle and the sports hall. The staggered height of the staggered structures creates a visual division of the large building mass and at the same time creates a sequence of three spatially clearly defined outdoor areas. The school campus opens up with its central element of the schoolyard on the steeply sloping site to the north towards the Sulm, a tributary of the Neckar. This connects the school closely with the surrounding landscape. The school’s new three-part sports hall with space for 400 spectators was built to replace the old, dilapidated Sulm gymnasium and adjoins the existing Pichterichhalle to the north with a direct connectionFaçadeWindowsDaylightTimber-aluminum windowsVentilation systemVisible concreteStockHeat recoveryPrimary energy demandDistrict heatingLocal heatingSustainable buildingEnEVEnEV: This specialist magazine deals with the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) as an instrument for regulating the energy requirements of buildings in Germany. It examines the regulation and implementation of the EnEV and its impact on the energy efficiency of buildings. by 35 %
Energy supply concept: sports hall municipal CHP, school district heating and photovoltaic system
Photos: Max Leitner
About a+r Architects
a+r Architekten stand for solid, environmentally friendly and future-oriented architecture with convincing expertise in the field of sustainable construction – also in existing buildings. Founded in 1985 by Prof. Gerd Ackermann and Prof. Hellmut Raff, the office with offices in Stuttgart and Tübingen has around 100 employees and is now headed by Prof. Hellmut Raff, Oliver Braun, Florian Gruner, Alexander Lange and Walter Fritz. a+r Architekten primarily build for public clients, industry and commerce, for municipal housing companies and for social institutions. The office focuses on appropriate, ecological, functional and, as a result, innovative construction methods and has been awarded prestigious prizes for this: most recently with the DAM Prize 2020, Exemplary Building 2020, “best architects 2020” and 1st place in the Competitionline Ranking 2019/20 as the most successful competition office in the German-speaking world.
