Growing enrolment at Heinrich Mann Grammar School in Volkhoven created demand for additional specialist facilities in art and science, expanded all-day services, and a new cafeteria. Klein + Neubürger Architects from Bochum rose to the challenge with a complementary extension that exudes transparent openness, seamlessly extending outdoor activities into the surrounding landscape.

Spanning 4,000 m² of gross floor area, the building respects the existing main building's sight lines along Fühlinger Weg. The canteen wing steps out boldly from the all-day area's compact base, establishing a unified entrance plaza. The building's split-level design responds organically to the site's topography: a covered terrace with tiered seating in front of the canteen bridges the schoolyard's varying elevations and dissolves the boundaries between interior and outdoor spaces. Common areas occupy the ground floor of the all-day wing, with classrooms and support facilities above. The true social heart of the project is a generous stairwell connecting both programmatic zones—creating rich spatial dialogues and sightlines between them. Constructed in exposed concrete with optimised column, wall, and floor spacing, the building achieves both efficiency and visual clarity. The canteen is crowned by a dramatic concrete flat slab that cantilevers over the terraced entry and stairs like a sheltering gesture. Large-scale wood-aluminium windows, alternating with matching aluminium panels, animate the façade with dynamic rhythm. Anthracite ceramic panels frame the modular facade at roof and side edges, providing elegant closure.

Inside, exposed concrete walls and natural materials—parquet, engineered stone, and natural stone flooring—establish a calm, grounded aesthetic. Timber accents provide warmth at strategic points. These tactile, honest surfaces not only create pleasant interiors but also simplify long-term maintenance. The design demonstrates remarkable coherence, extending from the overall massing through to the carefully orchestrated interior palette. A thoughtful colour strategy guides navigation and reinforces visual identity throughout. The building embodies current best practices: an efficient, cost-effective climate system with night-time cooling operates to passive house standards. A substantial solar array crowns the roof, anchoring the project's commitment to sustainability.

www.klein-neubuerger.de

Photography Credits:

Jürgen Schmidt
www.juergen-schmidt-fotografie.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|20)