The town of Kirchheim unter Teck has developed a modern cluster school for approximately 850 students, aiming to create ideal learning conditions. From a structural and sustainable perspective, the new buildings with their clean and stringent design impress with their consistent use of recycled concrete. R-concrete was used for both the shell and the fair-faced concrete walls and ceilings.
The new Rauner Campus is being implemented in three construction phases. The existing primary school building from the 1960s was mostly demolished to make room for the new development. In the first construction phase, the “Lernhaus 1” was built from 2016 to 2017, accommodating the newly developed Rauner Comprehensive School. The “Lernhaus 2”, which was put into operation in September 2020, houses the Teck Secondary School. In the last construction phase, which lasted until autumn 2021, the remaining existing buildings were renovated while the schools continued to operate.
The Rauner Campus aims to be a place for self-organised learning and community engagement. This approach requires a departure from the traditional school architecture with teacher-centred teaching to an organisational form called “clusters”, which allows for pedagogical flexibility when switching between forms of learning and creates spatial synergies. For example, smaller spaces called “differentiation rooms” for individualised teaching methods were placed between the learning and course rooms with their varying equipment. Additionally, the corridors can be used as multifunctional learning zones.
The new campus buildings were constructed with a focus on “simple building”, emphasising high usability and the use of robust and durable materials. The building services were designed to be as simple as possible. The façades of the new buildings feature an external thermal insulation system with mineral wool and a high-quality plaster with broom finish in a light grey natural shade, which ages gracefully over time.
Recycled concrete was consistently used for the construction of the new school buildings, both for the structural shell and fair-faced concrete elements. Approximately 6,000 cubic metres of recycled concrete were used. With this approach, the Rauner Campus makes a significant contribution to the circular economy and sustainable construction.
The interior was designed with a minimalist approach to colour and materials. Wherever possible, natural surfaces were left untreated. The only exception is the vibrant, berry-coloured rubber flooring, which was chosen to add a dash of colour to the interior. The steel stringers of the stairs were painted in the same striking shade.
