abj Architekt:innen GmbH

The new building of the three-form Grünstraße primary school is a clear urban landmark in the historic center of Velbert. Located in the immediate vicinity of Christuskirche and Martin Luther King School, the ensemble of two separate buildings creates a sheltered playground and links the school, sports facilities, and neighborhood with one another. The school building faces Grünstraße with the open façade of the cafeteria. From here, visitors are guided via a welcoming plaza to the main entrance of the school, located to the southeast. The sports hall faces Kurze Straße, making use of the natural topography of the site and blending in with the building structure in terms of scale.

The concept offers a variety of visual connections and places to arrive, learn, play, and linger. The light-colored clinker brick façade with colored curtain walls and reveals differentiates the areas and forms a design framework. Seating steps, play equipment, and two green classrooms in the outdoor area complement the learning landscape with natural places to spend time.

The interior layout of the barrier-free school building is divided into three mini-schools, administration, cafeteria, and multipurpose areas. The heart of the building is the central, three-story foyer with a gallery, which serves as a distribution point, meeting place, and lounge area. Generous window areas and glass doors create visual connections and ensure high-quality daylight in the open learning areas with seating niches, group zones, and differentiation zones.

The two-court sports hall in the north of the property is barrier-free and has two equivalent entrances: one on the school side via the foyer and a separate entrance from Kurze Straße for club and neighborhood sports. The staggered arrangement of the buildings and the location of the hall below the schoolyard connect the hall functionally and urbanistically with the school complex.

Sustainability and future viability were at the heart of the planning: the new building was constructed as an Efficiency House 40 EE and uses geothermal energy, photovoltaics, and extensive green roofing. A compact cubature reduces energy losses, while durable materials such as clinker and wood minimize maintenance costs. Barrier-free access, separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists, bicycle parking spaces, and an e-charging station are integral parts of the mobility concept.