Designing and constructing schools is always a distinct challenge. Unlike financial, bureaucratic, or administrative buildings, public schools aim to express an atmosphere that is open, clear, stable, and intellectually stimulating for both students and teachers. A well-designed school building offers children a valuable learning environment—almost like an exceptional textbook.
Exterior Design Concept
The school building is oriented along a north-south axis, featuring a slender zigzag layout. Most classroom exterior walls face east-west, while administrative and vocational classrooms are positioned on the north and south sides, respectively. The facade design reflects the building’s internal functions, highlighted by large glass walls—both vertically and horizontally sectioned—that separate the spaces. Corridors are enclosed with fully transparent glass curtain walls, and all glass surfaces except those on the north facade are fitted with vertical shading devices. The opaque parts of the exterior are clad in large aluminum panels. The extensive green roofing and rainwater pipes placed in front of the facade facilitate easy inspection and maintenance.
Interior Design Concept
Access to the school building is through the central lobby area, which also connects vertically via five staircases and one open staircase. The school houses 32 classrooms of varying sizes. On the ground floor, a large, expandable multifunctional hall serves as a central gathering space. Adjacent to it, the kitchen and food counter double as dining areas. Essential spaces include specialized classrooms, administrative offices, and work and storage rooms.
The hall is the heart of the school, serving as a communal hub for students and staff. It’s centrally located on each floor, with straightforward connections throughout the building. The additional five staircases provide vertical circulation that also doubles as emergency escape routes. Auxiliary and technical rooms are conveniently positioned next to these stairwells.
In summary, the multifunctional hall, located adjacent to the lobby on the first floor, acts as a large communal area. Visitors can conveniently reach the connected art and music rooms directly from the lobby. Administrative offices occupy the northern ground floor section of the building.
On the upper floors, classrooms open directly onto the north and south sides of the lobby. The expansive corridor emphasizes spatial importance and functionality. The bright, airy environment encourages open and friendly interaction. The leisure area, highlighted by contrasting colors, stands out clearly and complements the staircase painted in matching hues.
The north and south wings house the library and computer science areas. Here, the wider corridors add functionality and enhance the usability of these spaces.
Project Drawings
▲ General layout plan
▲ First floor plan
▲ Second floor plan
▲ Third floor plan
▲ North-South elevation view
▲ East-West elevation
▲ Sectional view
▲ Sports Center floor plan
▲ Northeast facade of the sports hall
▲ Southwest facade of the sports hall
(BIM Design)
▲ Section of the Sports Center
▲ Construction method
▲ Aerial view
Project Information
Design Firm: NKBAK
Location: Berlin, Germany
Category: Primary and Secondary Schools
Lead Architect: NKBAK
Design Team: Nicole Kerstin Berganski, Andreas Krawczyk, Simon Bielmeier, Shanjun Yu
Building Area: 9,360 m²
Project Year: 2019
Photographer: Thomas Mayer
Client: State of Berlin represented by Senate Administration for Urban Development and Housing
Structural Design: Design Phase by Bollinger + Grohmann Ingenieure, Frankfurt am Main; Execution by merz kley partner ZT GmbH, Dornbirn
Engineer: Ecotec GmbH, Bremen
Landscape Design: Franz Reschke Landschaftsarchitektur, Berlin (BIM Study)
Fire Consultant: Wagner Zeitter Ingenieure, Wiesbaden
Venue Management: PCB Architekten, Berlin, Martin Putzmann
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