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Architects: Atelier . Schmelzer . Weber, Fitschen + Partner
- Area: 300 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Till Schuster
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Lead Architects: Peter Weber
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Text description provided by the architects. The special schools in Salzwedel have been complemented by the construction of a single-field sports hall. The sports hall is located as a common link between two existing school buildings on the campus. In addition to sports activities, it serves as a multifunctional space for other school and municipal events. The architectural concept conveys the multifunctional requirements, including for festive events, to the outside.
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The very rural location of the community and the limited availability of materials, technologies, and trades required an in-depth exploration of local potential. Red brick facades have a long tradition in the local landscape and among the resident craftsmen.
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The reinterpreted execution of the brick facade gives the building a distinctive character as a place with a special purpose while also fitting into the existing overall image of the Hanseatic city with medieval buildings. A concrete band divides the volume and contrasts with the warm color of the brick facades.
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The lower entrance area of the sports hall building, with the adjoining social wing, connects to the adjacent single-story sections of the existing schools. The transparent and light-flooded foyer, which opens onto the forecourt and provides insights into the interior of the hall, can be reached via a roofed area. The compact floor plan structure of the new building is symmetrically organized, allowing for intuitive circulation with a separate black-and-white corridor.
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Simple, durable, and robust interior surfaces were implemented to characterize the space significantly through their material qualities. All interior walls were executed in exposed lime sandstone. Floor-to-ceiling door elements divide the corridor zones and emphasize the ambition not only to be a mere sports hall.
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Locally based carpentry firms collaborated in the joint planning and realization of the self-designed benches and cabinet furniture. Inside the hall, the simple precast concrete elements dominate and contrast with the finely detailed impact wall made of warm-toned solid wood slats.
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