Design: The two school buildings, the hall and the sports hall are grouped around a courtyard and provide space for around 900 pupils. Schmuttertal Gymnasium is a model school. The multi-use rooms offer space for independent learning, and the clear structure of the timber-frame construction allows new pedagogical concepts to be applied in the future.
Wood: The buildings were constructed of timber, with basements and ancillary rooms made of reinforced concrete. The floors and attics were designed to high design standards, while the roof support structures and roof beams were left exposed. For the ceilings, a new wood-concrete composite structure was developed with 120 mm concrete cast in situ. This provides optimum sound insulation and improved thermal performance. The façades were made of vertical timber cladding.
Energy: As a plus energy facility, the gymnasium generates more energy than it needs to operate. The basis for this is an integral design that integrates spatial, static and technical aspects. How these interact will be explored as part of a research project. All building materials have been guaranteed in advance to be free of harmful substances and environmentally friendly.
