green roofs and timber façades articulate mono architekten's school extension in berlin

in the prenzlauer berg area of berlin, mono architekten has completed the design of an after-school care center for the waldorf school. the urban site poses a unique position between socialist prefabricated structures, wilhelminian style blocks and the green spaces of the nearby jewish cemetery. the existing school itself is a 5-story prefab dating back to the 1970s, which has undergone a full renovation. 

all images courtesy of mono architekten

the new center and later extensions were designed by mono in a completely different style to the existing architecture. built on the school’s courtyard, the most recent intervention stretches towards the sports hall, providing the schoolyard with a structural back to the street and a clear center. the projections and recesses create different outdoor areas for various uses. the buildings received green roofs, which are inclined in different directions and, together with the rising eaves of the timber-clad façades, a sculptural impression is formed.

the after-school care center

the central access zone winds its way from the existing staircase through the newly built ground floor, accompanied by a massive clay wall. lounges, cloakrooms etc. and various outdoor exits alternate. the group rooms are behind the clay wall with a plateau above the cloakrooms with a view into the crowns of the surrounding trees.

rooftop landscape

the goal was to use natural and renewable building materials to comply with the waldorf educational idea. themed ‘school builds school’, most of the construction work was carried out by the knobelsdorff school. the coloring was created by the natural hues of mostly untreated materials. colored clay plaster, wooden floors and wall heating integrated into the outer clay walls create a pleasant atmosphere in the interiors, ensuring a healthy indoor climate.

façade renovation

the structure was made with a timber frame construction with cellulose roofs while the outer walls were filled with building straw and plastered inside with clay. the façade is made of differently sized vertical larch wood boards. the district heat is used as an energy source, feeding the wall and underground heating. decentralized exhaust systems in the cloakrooms support the manual ventilation concept.

the foyer

the cloakroom

the group room

the gallery

the terrace

detail of the terrace

the courtyard

connection to the existing building

project info:

project name: after-school care center

location: prenzlauer berg, berlin, germany

architect: mono architekten

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edited by: lynne myers | designboom