Sports hall Bihlafingen, 2018-22
The narrow plot of land for a childcare centre, a school, and the new Bihlafingen sports hall slopes sharply down from north to south. Situated at the centre of it is the primary school. It divides the property into a green football field and a newly designed area including the school yard, nursery, access area, and car park in the south. To the north, at the highest point of the school grounds is the new building of the sports hall.
The compact structure with its shallow gable roof makes use of the site’s topography. Some of the functional areas disappear within the slope, resulting in a moderate development of building mass and height. The archetypal building with its wooden façade is reminiscent of a barn and naturally blends in with the rural surroundings.
Corresponding to the location on the northern boundary of the property, the new building has two entrances. From the north, one enters the sports hall on the upper floor, which allows for a view into the hall. A single-flight staircase leads to the foyer on the ground floor, where the second entrance is located. The kitchen and food service area are centrally located at the foyer. They can thus be used for events both indoors and outdoors. Sanitary and equipment rooms round off the facilities on the ground floor, whilst the changing rooms are located on the upper floor.
The design features a filigree and regular structure, which has been consistently developed as a timber construction. The building is based on a grid of 2.50 m, and the span of the filigree lattice girders is around 15 m. The bar-shaped supporting structure made of glued cross sections of solid wood refers to the design idea of a barn. All components that are in contact with the ground or covered by soil were designed as reinforced concrete elements.
Sports hall Bihlafingen
Gymnasium in Laupheim
Client: Stadt Laupheim
Planning and construction: 2018-22
GFA and GV: 970 m², 6.500 m³
Competition 2018, 1st Prize