With the conversion and energy modernisation of the grammar school in Neustadt an der Waldnaab in the Upper Palatinate, Brückner & Brückner Architekten successfully transformed the brutalist concrete architecture from 1977 into a state-of-the-art school, which has since won several awards. The aim behind the endeavour was to create a contemporary learning environment to meet modern requirements. When it came to the sun shading system for the classrooms, the architects opted for elegant front-mounted awnings with drop arms from WAREMA.
The secondary school in Neustadt an der Waldnaab is located on a school campus on the outskirts of the town. It was built by architects Georg Rembeck, Xaver Bogner and Ferdinand Hasl in a clearing in the forest back in 1977. Together with the required energy refurbishment of the compact concrete architecture, Brückner & Brückner Architekten successfully transformed the neglected concrete building into a contemporary place of learning, communication and socialising.
To help the school operate with a modern approach, the room layout was systematically revised and a new entrance area with a large open staircase introduced. A further new feature is the auditorium with the daylight ceiling as well as a library spanning several floors with a lecture room and seating areas in the corridors. The result is a sophisticated school, which is technically and functionally up to date with rooms flooded in warm and bright light.
This alone is worthy of an award! Not least due to the extensive transformation carried out while lessons continued and with the resource-friendly use of existing materials.
No less worthy of recognition is the successful transformation of the cumbersome brutalist concrete facade with a new design that has creatively reimagined the existing elements and symbolises a school fit for the future from the outside. The former concrete facade - painstakingly crafted at the time - had considerably darkened and become unsightly after 40 years. With the exception of the rough texture and the inadequate insulation by today's standards, there were no concerns regarding the quality of the concrete curtain wall, even after almost half a century, and demolition was not necessary for design or sustainability reasons.
The energy refurbishment only required 80-mm thick mineral interior insulation. The old aluminium windows were replaced by new wooden-aluminium windows and fitted with silver grey window awnings from Warema as a sun shading system. The heaviness of the concrete facade is now playfully broken up by narrow aluminium strips embedded in the vertical structure of the balustrade elements, which brighten up the facade and give it a changing appearance depending on the time of day.
The architects contrasted the rough concrete texture with a shiny reflective facade made of polished aluminium composite panels where new structures were built, as well as on the emergency staircases and at the main entrance. Trees and bushes are reflected on the facade with a view that almost seems to fade away, forming the maximum contrast to the solidity of the existing facade as a quasi dematerialised mirror image.
Comfort criteria such as lighting conditions and room temperature play a major role in the ability of pupils to concentrate and their willingness to perform. Just a few degrees can make all the difference to their feeling of thermal comfort and therefore their learning experience. Opting for the right glare control and heat protection measures therefore has a significant impact on student motivation and learning outcomes.
When renovating the Neustadt an der Waldnaab secondary school, the architects opted for an effective external sun shading system, ultimately selecting the basic shaft awnings with drop arms from WAREMA. The window awnings could be integrated into the shaft above the lintel of the new windows. The state-of-the-art WAREMA arm technology guarantees optimal fabric tension for the fire-resistant special fabric at all times.
Vapour coated in PVC and dirt-repellant, the Soltis 92 sun shading system fabric reflects the heat radiation in summer while helping to keep heat inside during the winter months. Even when the fabric is completely lowered, the view out is maintained, ensuring students and teachers likewise stay in visual contact with the outside world. Natural ventilation is also possible through the open windows even when the sun shading system is lowered. The selected Soltis fabric has a very high colour rendering index and makes the objects look natural even when the sun shading system is lowered. In addition, the excellent glare control effect ensures top conditions for a productive learning environment in the classroom, even when the sun is shining brightly.
- Project: Neustadt an der Waldnaab secondary school renovation
- Location: Bildstraße 20, 92660 Neustadt an der Waldnaab
- Building use: School
- Client: Landkreis Neustadt a. d. Waldnaab
- Architects: Brückner & Brückner Architekten, Tirschenreuth/Würzburg
- Completion: 2022
- Awards: Materialpreis 2021, awarded in the material usage category; won the Architekturpreis Beton 2023; nominated for the DAM Preis 2023; won the BDA regiNO Preis 2024
- Products: basic shaft awning with drop arm, fabric: Soltis 92, design 045, colour hammered metal, dirt-repellant finish, flame retardant in accordance with DIN 4102–B1, frame colour RAL7016 matt
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