Sports Hall in Heppenheim

Skilfully exploiting the slope of the site, this economic and environmentally-friendly design accommodates the changing rooms and ancillary spaces beneath the actual hall. The great width of the arched roof is spanned by slender laminated beams and a load-bearing plywood shell. The planted layer provides an effective climatic buffer in all seasons. A glazed structure, extending over the full width of the roof, houses a dividing curtain, allows natural light to enter the hall and creates a flue effect that provides a natural system of ventilation. The long faces of the building are extensively glazed. The south elevation is screened with external blinds. Along the west face, an 8-metre-high greenhouse serves as a solar collector and climatic buffer zone.