The Forum at Eckenberg Gymnasium
- Words
- Caroline Kurze
This school addition by Ecker Architekten takes the form of a bright, two-storey Aula along the street and public walkway. At the level of the campus paths and terraces, a gallery and stair links the library and café of the new construction to existing facilities, built in the1960s.
+ Read MoreThe structure of the building is a three-axis lacunar concrete slab supported by three rotationally-cast concrete columns. Skylights ventilate the space, provide acoustic absorption, and contain integrated illumination. A meter-wide glazed roof along the perimeter between the new and existing buildings lends a lightness to the room that contrasts the massive character of the materials used in construction. The resulting play of light and shadow – of the monolithic and the immaterial, strikes a balance between the construction of a modern solitaire and the formation of a distinctive local building ensemble.
All images © Brigida Gonzàlez, John Ruffolo
