Since the beginning of 2021, PORR Building Construction Southern Region has been carrying out shell construction work for the new high school in Kirchheim, in the north-east of the Bavarian state capital. “An open school surrounded by greenery” is being built on an area of 70.5 x 70.5 metres with a GFA of around 21,000m2 and a height of around 22 metres. The Munich-based structural engineering team was supported by colleagues from PORR Steel and Systems Construction when it came to the steel composite construction of the ceilings for the auditorium. The topping-out ceremony took place in July 2022.
Open learning landscapes and central meeting places
The new learning facility includes the school building, a playground, and four sports halls and sports fields. Commissioned to design the new five-storey school building, the aim of architectural firm heinlewischer was to create “the appearance of a neatly stored stack of precisely cut wooden panels”. The surrounding pergolas and loose arrangement of the rooms create an open feel. At the same time, the exterior balconies feature enhanced slip resistance and function as escape routes, leading to the four emergency stairwells, so the lofty open-air spaces can even be used as teaching spaces. The idea that learning, discussion and communication can take place any time and anywhere runs throughout the entire school campus.
Inside, organic shapes dominate. Central meeting places include the foyer, with four gallery levels, which extends over all floors and is supplied with daylight via skylights, as well as the free-form auditorium, which seats up to 600 people. Walls and ceilings are made of solid reinforced concrete, with almost 1/5 of the total 9500m2 of wall surface featuring an attractive exposed concrete finish. The ceiling of the auditorium, which spans more than 25 meters without supporting columns or pillars, is made of composite steel. More than 60 prefabricated staircases in the atrium area, with a width of 2.4 metres and cantilever steel staircases, connect the individual parts of the building. The sunken basement houses the technical centre and sprinkler system, and has been designed as a watertight reinforced concrete structure.
A complex project requires close-knit collaboration
“With 90 different radii, variable heights and the curved ceilings in the interior, the architectural geometry is exceptionally challenging," explains PORR site manager Marijana Ereiz. 230 special formwork elements were used, including more than 30 elements for the high, curved walls alone. The supporting structures were erected in the edge beam area at heights of 10 to 22 metres. “A project of such complexity requires continual coordination between all those involved in order to stay on schedule and within budget. That’s why we use state-of-the-art digital tools for planning and documentation,” adds Ereiz.
In addition to work preparation, the safety of the construction site crew is also top priority. A special occupational safety concept was developed to accommodate the different projections when shuttering the floor slabs and edge beams and the fact that shuttering work was carried out at a height of more than 20 metres. This was successfully implemented.
