Interplay
A dynamic sports hall with covered forecourt that weaves the campus together
Designed by architectural firm dasch zürn + partner, the new sports hall at Fasanenhof School in Stuttgart replaces an outdated facility while creating a cohesive campus ensemble. At 1,820 m², the facility accommodates both school athletics and competitive club sports, with seating for up to 150 spectators. The hall and foyer work together during school events, offering flexible multipurpose functionality.
The newly covered forecourt serves as a welcoming threshold between buildings, guiding visitors to the school's main entrances and gymnasium. A rectangular ceiling opening floods the space with light, creating a bright zone that connects the buildings while leaving room for a mature tree. The sports hall and foyer face east with expansive glazing, dissolving the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces. Raw concrete, wood, and expansive glass define the building's external character, while the interior is dominated by its honest concrete structure—complemented inside the hall by the warmth of natural wood. Three wooden double-beam trusses spanning above the main roof support the hall. In circulation areas and support spaces, soft acoustic ceiling panels provide a welcoming counterpoint to the raw concrete. A bold yellow accent appears throughout—in flooring, ceiling finishes, signage, and wall color—while greyed wood surfaces and the imprint of wood formwork in the concrete create a subtle material dialogue. The palette is completed with grey walls, black door and window frames, stair railings, and grey tiles in the changing and sanitary areas.
The hall floor sits approximately 0.7 m below the playground level, accommodating the grade change to the western car park. This elevation differential creates two tiered seating sections—54 seats each—plus standing room at playground level, offering unobstructed sightlines for school and sporting events. The gymnasium entrance for clubs and competitions is located separately near the parking area, outside the school grounds. The ground floor houses the main hall alongside equipment storage and a kitchenette; changing rooms, showers, mechanical space, and a caretaker's office occupy the upper level. A separate caretaker's residence with its own entrance sits on the building's south face.
Photography Credits:
Henrik Schipper
www.henrikschipper.de
(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 01|23)