Gesamtschule Nord+ Polyvalent school

A federating facility and a new urban park

In Kassel, we propose to widen the bed of the Ahne, a canalized river that connects different green spaces in the city, to make it a real park structuring the urban project. Porous and permissive, the new school is thought in its crossing dimension between park and forest. Organized in three main buildings to the south of the park, it radiates towards the large landscape entities: the nursery school and the nursery towards the forest to the east; the library towards the river to the west; and finally the elementary school and the specialized rooms towards the park to the north. An exterior gallery connects the three buildings and serves all the common spaces. A real signal and meeting place between the different classes, it contributes to the students' feeling of belonging to the same group. It’s also the starting point for a vertical ascent to the two planted roofs: a small wood on one, a vegetable garden and sports area on the other. Designed as a unifying and inclusive facility, the school is intended for all the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The first floors are open and reversible spaces - foyer, canteen, library, workshop - directly linked to the public space and able to host various events during extracurricular time. 

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Organized in strips, the housing buildings follow the slope and are located on the north side of the site. All of them are through-going and oriented towards the south and the park, they let in the existing forest, which extends into the heart of the blocks.

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In the center of the buildings, large atriums bring natural light to all the circulation spaces, conceived as additional spaces, as many places conducive to the emergence of an ambitious educational project.

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The school is mainly made of wood, but is also clad in brick, a local material that ensures its integration into the traditional architecture of Kassel. The facades, worked in their thickness, ensure solar protection and offer the classrooms outdoor educational spaces linked to the observation of nature.

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Location

Kassel (Germany)

Client

Stadt Kassel Immobilien GmbH & Co. KG

Area

20,600 m² for the school and 4.17 ha for the urban project

Team

ChartierDalix (urbanism, architecture, landscape)

Cost

€ 60 M before tax

Phase

Competition

Project manager

Mickaël Hassani, Iris Maass

Mission

Complete

Program

School, library, housing

Images

ChartierDalix

Awards

3rd/25 ex-aequo with a special mention urbanism/landscape