EXPANSION Stellingen district school

The Stellingen district school on Brehmweg in Hamburg Eimsbüttel - also affectionately known as »Stelli« - has been extended to include a new canteen and a two-court sports hall to meet the needs of pupils and teachers. The sports hall building complements the existing three-court sports hall and thus expands the school's sports facilities. The canteen combines functionality with architectural elegance and will become the new centre of everyday school life.

Project: New Building canteen and two-court sports hall
Client: SBH | Schulbau Hamburg
Service: 1-9 HOAI
Area: 2.320 m² GFA
Location: Brehmweg in Hamburg
Photography: Martin Lukas Kim

With the construction of the new canteen and the two-court sports hall, the Stellingen district school has not only received urgently needed functional extensions, but also a new, lively centre. The new buildings blend harmoniously into the existing school grounds, but deliberately set new accents. The sandstone-coloured façade of the canteen and the generous ribbon of windows that open onto the schoolyard create an inviting and modern atmosphere. The positioning of the new buildings spatially closes off the schoolyard and gives the entire ensemble a clear structure.

The redesign of the outdoor area will make the schoolyard more inviting and turn it into the lively centre of the campus. The east-west façade of the canteen forms the main view of the building and opens up to the redesigned forecourt with a generous mullion-transom façade. This façade creates a strong connection between the multifunctional dining area and the outdoor space. In good weather, the direct access allows the forecourt to be used as a terrace - a place that invites people to linger and enriches the school day.

The canteen is much more than just a dining hall. Equipped with a stage and flexible partition walls, it can be used in different ways - as a dining area during lunchtime, as an auditorium for school events or as a venue for special occasions. Its multifunctionality makes the canteen a central place for school life. The kitchen was originally planned as a distribution and warm-up kitchen. In the course of the project, however, it developed into a fully-fledged production kitchen with training facilities. This new type of »vitality kitchen« is the first of its kind and thus a pioneer for other schools, as it enables the preparation of fresh, home-cooked meals and at the same time creates apprenticeships for young people.

The canteen is completely barrier-free in order to provide unrestricted access for all users, especially people with physical disabilities. Particular attention was paid to the design of the acoustic ceiling, which was specially adapted to the needs of hearing-impaired children. The ceiling, which is interspersed with strip lighting with energy-saving light sources, contributes to a pleasant atmosphere and significantly increases the quality of the space.

The energy optimisation of the new buildings played a central role right from the start. Large, glare-free window elements in the sports hall ensure optimum use of daylight and reduce operating costs. The use of modern LED lighting also supports the energy savings and creates a pleasant lighting situation in both buildings.

The project was planned and implemented in close consultation with the school management and teachers, whose wishes and suggestions were integrated into the planning through regular sampling appointments. The construction schedule was also carefully coordinated to minimise disruption to everyday school life. The early involvement of local residents helped to minimise the impact of the construction phase on the surrounding area.