YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
When space gets tight in one's own house because the family grows, the time has come for a change of residence. If this involves the possibility of moving into a new building, all the better, as this is the best way to realise one's own wishes. This was also the case at the Fritz-Gansberg-School, a traditional primary school located in the midst of the German city of Wiesbaden. Due to constant growth, it was expanded to 4 classes in 2017. In order to comply with the space requirements, temporary containers were set up on the small playing field of the school's own playground, which, however, further reduced the size of the outdoor area. This increased the pressure to finally find a larger location!
Natural and structural conditions
In the search for a new location, which should not be too far away from the old one, a site located about 500 metres out of town on the Moltkering, which is a two-lane main road, was chosen. The surrounding area is characterised by a loose development of single-family houses and other educational institutions along the Moltkering. The site is located at the bottom of a largely undeveloped hill with ruderal areas and allotment gardens in the lower area and upwards on the slopes with open meadow landscapes from where one has a magnificent view over the city. Due to its location on the western slope zone, the new school site is designated in the climate function map of the city of Wiesbaden as a cold and fresh air production area close to the settlement. Therefore, the new school should not have a major barrier effect on the inner-city ventilation function.
The structural engineering concept of the Wiesbaden architects Kissler Effgen + Partner, who were awarded the contract in 2014 together with the company Bierbaum.Aichele.landschaftsarchitekten within the framework of a VOF procedure (German Public Awarding Procedure based on the Public Procurement Regulations for Professional Services), was focused on a new building consisting of three building blocks in a north-south orientation and an associated orthogonal connecting wing. The three building blocks extend up the slope like terraces and are in line with the height development of the terrain. On the one hand, the floor plan considers the difficult foundation and soil conditions. On the other hand, it is the comb-like structure which fulfils a central wish of the school management, namely to connect the interior and exterior spaces more effectively and, if possible, to offer each classroom its own access to the outdoor area.
Open space concept
The open space concept is oriented towards the surrounding green slopes, which, as an extension of the Taunus, reach into the basin of the city centre. As a conscious design element, the landscape should flow around the school building in the form of open green spaces. The fruit trees, wooded areas and meadow structures that are characteristic of the locality were taken up as natural design elements for the new school grounds.
The design shows the high proportion of greenery in the schoolyard areas, which cover a total area of 10,900 sqm. In addition to the design aspects, a climate-friendly planning approach was pursued, which is now being followed in many building projects in the state capital. The relatively small paved schoolyard areas were designed with light-coloured surface coverings due to their higher reflectivity of solar radiation.
An initial survey of the site revealed it to be a densely overgrown, steeply sloping area with dense forest stand. In the upper slope area, the forest was not interfered with, whereas the planting on the construction site had, of course, to give way. The stag beetle population found here was given a replacement habitat in the preserved forest areas. The original plan to create an open area in the preserved forest site and to establish a green classroom there failed due to species protection and safety concerns as well as for cost reasons. The obligation to ensure traffic safety would have caused too high ongoing maintenance costs to protect the area against falling branches, for example.
Diverse experience spaces
Nevertheless, it was important to the planners that the newly created slope edge was included in the design and made tangible. Thus, a slope slide and a wide seating area were built in the midst of the slope. The latter is opposite the rear school exit and can also be used for events or as an open-air classroom.
In the north-eastern corner, where the greatest difference in height between the planning and the existing building is to be found, a virtue was made of necessity by converting the necessary supporting wall at this site into a climbing wall. On the paved schoolyard between the embankment and the school building, there is a large sand play area, playground equipment and a table tennis table. Much of the playground equipment used is still the school's existing equipment, which was also moved to the new location. The use of "old" playground equipment both makes economic sense and reminds the relocated students of their old school. However, the goal wall, which was painted by the pupils themselves, is particularly worth mentioning as it represents a piece of the old "Fritzi identity" in the new school environment.
Another wish of the school management and certainly of many students was the soccer field with EPDM surface and ball fence. In other words, a real football cage and the dream of every young footballer. The small pitch is framed by lawns and a dense willow maze, which invites to play hide and seek and play freely.
In this way, the children find a variety of different play opportunities arranged next to each other. In addition to the classic play and sports facilities, such as a football field, they also get to know informal, open-ended facilities that promote creative play. In a broader sense, this also applies to the offer of different spaces that the children can visit according to their respective needs and that are important for their individual development, such as the different points of action, retreat spaces, meeting points and places. The spaces were created with the classic means of landscape architecture through plantings, walls and earth modelling.
Protective courtyards
This basic principle is clearly visible on the other side to the north. The steeply sloping terrain was gently modelled in the further course of the project, so that the impression of a flowing landscape could be created. The fruit tree meadow created here is an almost idyllic place with a distant view of the city, inviting children to climb and balance on individual pieces of playground equipment or simply to rest on tree trunks and perches. In terms of design, the fruit tree meadow extends into the central courtyard through slight terrain modelling. Here, in a green space framed by the school building, a small shrub-lined elevation meanders along the courtyard area, offering seating on integrated stone walls and also serving as a visual filter from prying looks from the opposite classrooms. With this courtyard, the school management's wish for direct access from the classrooms to the outdoor area could be realised. All of the surrounding classrooms have a direct view of the green courtyard as well as of the raised beds and the herb spiral, which enable practical lessons in dealing with plants.
The lower courtyard to the west offers a protected environment, especially for the first graders who have their classrooms here. With its large sand play area and the loosely arranged seating elements made of natural stone blocks and tree trunks, a friendly place and a sheltered introduction to school life could be created for school beginners, because quite a few of the new students are still unfamiliar with the new school environment and the large number of classmates. The school canteen, located at the front of the courtyard, is directly connected to the courtyard via an outdoor terrace, so that the courtyard is also open to the rest of the children at lunchtime.
Towards the Moltkering, the school presents itself in a rather restrained manner. The small forecourt with the bicycle stands leads the pupils to the wide entrance staircase, behind which the high and very spacious foyer is located. The neighbouring gymnasium gives the front a slightly defiant effect with its massive building volume, which is however softened by the tree-covered lawn embankment and the graffiti with the Fritzi symbols.
Conclusion
It has been shown that the concept of a near-natural outdoor school area on a slope is a challenging but rewarding task. By using the topography, it was possible to realise an outdoor area that offers a variety of different experiences on different platforms. However, it must also be noted that a considerable portion of the available budget was spent on the ground works and slope stabilisation measures. Changes in planning were also necessary at short notice, for example due to settlement cracks in the ground. Thanks to good communication between all parties involved in the planning and professional project management, however, all problems were solved at an early stage. The municipal construction company WiBau GmbH, which is also owner and builder of the school, was an experienced partner in school construction.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the construction schedule was met and the school opened as planned after the Easter holidays in 2021. In the meantime, the school is running smoothly and all users of the new Fritzi are happy about the spacious outdoor facilities, especially in times of a pandemic.
For us, the project has once again shown how much school has changed in recent years. Due to the increasing operation of all-day schools including afternoon care, the school environment is increasingly becoming an important living space of many children. At the Fritz-Gansberg-School, too, around 90 % of the children spend their time at school until the afternoon. Issues such as inclusion, increasing individualisation and cultural diversity demand differentiated school and open space concepts. In this respect, there is hardly a more challenging and interesting construction task for landscape architects than the design of schoolyards. If you look at some of the uneventful courtyards of the large school centres from the 1970s, most of which had more than 1,000 pupils, the quality of many of today's schoolyards becomes all the more apparent.
Further information:
Bierbaum.Aichele.landschaftsarchitekten Part.GmbB
Untere Zahlbacher Str. 21
D-55131 Mainz T: +49(0)6131.669 25-0
