Secondary School in Freising
This secondary school on the outskirts of Freising makes an urban impact amidst a rag-bag of low residential and trade buildings. The large volume is divided between three right-angled sections that articulate the school‘s functions logically. The two-storey band containing the classrooms towers above the two other low sections of the building. The school yard forms the central point of the complex. It is between the sports hall and the main building, which are held together by two lateral roofs, framing the two open sides of the school yard visually and spatially. The front roof forms the entrance to the school: the effect it makes is of a town gate, inviting pupils, teachers and visitors into the yard, which also functions as a forecourt. To the left is the sports hall, whose bottom section is sunk into the site, to make the volume less conspicuous. On the right a cube – half outside and half inside the building – acts as a porch at the main entrance to the school. The double doors in light timber stand out clearly from the aluminium cube and the black metal lines of the post-and-rail facade. The yard seems to continue beyond the porch; the grey concrete slab floor covering goes on into the lavish covered area inside a multi-purpose space which is used as a foyer, distribution and meeting point, as a leisure and exhibition space and even as a venue for meetings and events. A single flight of steps leads up to the classrooms and specialist facilities for 350 pupils. The interior wall dividing the corridor from the classrooms is finished in different colours, almost like a large piece of furniture. Outside, large niches serve as cloakrooms, storage spaces and provide seating. Inside shelving is provided to accommodate books and craft materials. The classroom entrances are characterized by deep reveals on the outside with flush doors on the inside. Here as everywhere in this school building the atmosphere is defined by lightness, openness and transparency, confirming the elegant and inviting impression visitors are given from the road.
