Room to grow

Providing children with an environment in which they can learn and develop at their own pace using all their senses was one of the fundamental principles of progressive educator Maria Montessori. The necessary combination of calm and liveliness is reflected in the new Montessori school building in Rothenburg ob der Tauber – not only in the petrol blue, which is a recurring element in the built-in features and in various shades on the wooden façade bands: Surrounding the airy foyer, the heart of the building, three wings with bright, friendly classrooms offer a restrained yet stimulating atmosphere. Here, the nearly 230 primary and secondary school pupils can develop their individual talents together under one roof for the first time.

Wood & concrete

For this beautiful construction project, ARGE studio lot and Weiss Hohe + Partner were particularly keen to create a sustainable design. Geothermal energy and concrete core-tempered ceilings provide sustainable heating and cooling and require the use of materials with optimal thermal conductivity, such as linoleum and tiles. This is complemented by a pleasant contrast of wall elements made of spruce plywood, which were designed by the Lebens(t)raum joinery using Lignovit Interior UV 100 in the colour Mont Blanc. The protective glaze preserves the light, natural wood colour. Tino Skuthan and his Lebens(t)raum team coated the furniture components with Arova Colora stain and slightly whitish Bluefin Unistar. Individual elements and doors in rich orange-yellow add a cheerful splash of colour – master painter Hans-Jürgen Hülse painted the frames on site with Vivido Aqua-Finish Nova from ADLER.

Blue & Grey

Surrounded by 17,000 square metres of wonderful natural open space, it is the façade that makes the building a real eye-catcher: the Grauf carpentry firm designed the vertical spruce slats of varying widths with ADLER's Pullex 3in1 glaze finish in five different shades of blue and green and arranged them in a random pattern. This creates a soft, flowing impression. The colour band is framed by vertical strips that have been pre-greyed with Pullex Silverwood in the colour silver natural. The building thus forms a grey-blue haven of tranquillity in the green landscape, enabling independent, active learning.