Freie Waldorfschule Weilheim
Ongoing
2017-
Weilheim, Germany
net room area = ca 4200 sqm
Freie Waldorfschule Weilheim
Kling Tragwerksplanung, Winter Brandschutzplanung, Ingenieurbüro Edenhofer + Partner
The Freie Waldorfschule Weilheim stems from the initiative of a community of parents and teachers aspiring to create a unique environment for the teaching of Waldorf pedagogy. With its rich experience building educational infrastructures in a variety of cultural and geographical landscapes, Kéré Architecture was chosen for its ability to go beyond standard German models and its experience working collaboratively with the demands of a community.
The campus is planned on the edge of the town of Weilheim in Bavaria, Germany. It will include both a primary and a secondary school, creating an inclusive environment in which children at different stages of their education can learn together and from each other. This intention is strongly reflected in the layout of the building: classrooms and adjacent uses are arranged organically around two atriums, like houses around a village square, where students can gather between classes to learn and to play. The larger of the two atriums has the possibility of transforming into a theatre, where performances will bring the community together.
As in many of Kéré Architecture’s projects, the building aims to tackle challenges posed by the outside environment – in this case providing sufficient natural daylight – using elegant and effective strategies. Classrooms on the upper floor obtain additional light through high north-facing windows, while for those on the ground floor it is channelled down through light shafts. These openings also allow for natural ventilation, giving students a healthy learning environment while cutting the school’s running costs. Working closely with local collaborators, the main school building is planned to be built entirely out of cross laminated timber, sourced from the region.
The project has been divided into several building phases, allowing it to grow incrementally over time according to the community’s needs and resources. In the first phase the main school building will be constructed, supplemented later by a north and a south wing that will embrace the schoolyard. Future construction phases include a sports hall, a canteen, space for after-school activities and an auditorium that will close the plot to the west, shielding the campus from the adjacent road.
The Freie Waldorfschule Weilheim stems from the initiative of a community of parents and teachers aspiring to create a unique environment for the teaching of Waldorf pedagogy. With its rich experience building educational infrastructures in a variety of cultural and geographical landscapes, Kéré Architecture was chosen for its ability to go beyond standard German models and its experience working collaboratively with the demands of a community.
The campus is planned on the edge of the town of Weilheim in Bavaria, Germany. It will include both a primary and a secondary school, creating an inclusive environment in which children at different stages of their education can learn together and from each other. This intention is strongly reflected in the layout of the building: classrooms and adjacent uses are arranged organically around two atriums, like houses around a village square, where students can gather between classes to learn and to play. The larger of the two atriums has the possibility of transforming into a theatre, where performances will bring the community together.
As in many of Kéré Architecture’s projects, the building aims to tackle challenges posed by the outside environment – in this case providing sufficient natural daylight – using elegant and effective strategies. Classrooms on the upper floor obtain additional light through high north-facing windows, while for those on the ground floor it is channelled down through light shafts. These openings also allow for natural ventilation, giving students a healthy learning environment while cutting the school’s running costs. Working closely with local collaborators, the main school building is planned to be built entirely out of cross laminated timber, sourced from the region.
The project has been divided into several building phases, allowing it to grow incrementally over time according to the community’s needs and resources. In the first phase the main school building will be constructed, supplemented later by a north and a south wing that will embrace the schoolyard. Future construction phases include a sports hall, a canteen, space for after-school activities and an auditorium that will close the plot to the west, shielding the campus from the adjacent road.
