Built in 1909, the Catholic Church of St. Mary in Geislingen an der Steige stands as a Neo-Romanesque brick structure with distinctive wall pillars. To its west once stood a cluster of parish buildings that had grown unwieldy over decades of modifications and extensions, creating significant maintenance challenges. When the Catholic parish embarked on reorganization, they made the bold decision to demolish this aging complex and rebuild with a new community center, a parish office serving the entire city, youth facilities, and residential quarters for parish clergy. The architectural competition was won by Dauner Rommel Schalk Architekten, whose winning design ingeniously consolidates all four functions within a single, compact building volume.

Sheltered beneath a weather-resistant roof, this multifunctional building addresses the church's forecourt, creating—alongside the century-old structure—a commanding architectural presence. The newly designed plaza, punctuated by mature trees and thoughtfully positioned new plantings, unfolds toward the southeast and invites passage via a generous staircase to the northwest. The two-story façade strategically turns inward toward the church square and quieter side street while presenting a measured, predominantly solid face to the busy thoroughfare and parking zones. The community hall anchors the complex at its heart, flowing directly from the foyer into the church square while opening onto the central courtyard through expansive fenestration. Sculptural skylights, piercing through the double-height volume, bathe the hall in natural light while commanding visual attention. All primary ground-floor functions—group rooms and youth facilities alike—similarly embrace the serene central courtyard, whose rigorously geometric form offers a refined counterpoint to the surrounding urban fabric. The upper level accommodates administrative functions including the parish office, the parish residence, and two additional residential units. Strategic color accents throughout ground-floor spaces and stairwells reinforce each area's functional identity, strengthening the building's internal wayfinding.

Drawing visual cues from the adjacent church, the façade choreographs a dynamic interplay between warm-toned facing brick and precast concrete panels. Projecting and recessed planes, combined with subtly modeled surfaces, orchestrate a sophisticated dance of light and shadow across the exterior. Yet despite their ensemble relationship, the new building asserts its contemporary voice through refined modern detailing—particularly the metal-framed window openings—establishing a distinct architectural identity alongside its historic neighbor.

www.daunerrommelschalk.de

Photography:
Julian Bauer
www.julianbauer.de

(Published in CUBE Stuttgart 02|25)