Bergstraße 58, 10115 Berlin
Mitte District Office in Berlin
Gruber + Popp Architects BDA, Berlin
Heike Hartmann (Project Manager), Mariana Gracia, Blanca Perez, Stefanie Dräger, Ronja Engelhardt, Alberto Jiménez Salas
render studios
Papageno Elementary School is located in the immediate vicinity of numerous historic and landmark-protected buildings and sites—such as the Sophienfriedhof cemetery on Bergstraße and the Berlin Wall Memorial on Bernauer Straße. Of the once-closed 19th-century perimeter block development, only the school building and the sports hall—built in the postwar period—remain as standalone structures; the new extension is planned as a compact structure and will bridge the gap between the main building and the residential building at Bergstraße 62.
The new building will house a cafeteria, a multipurpose room (which can also serve as a stage), a library, as well as homeroom classrooms, small-group rooms, and quiet study areas. The “Compartement School” concept will be implemented not only in the new building but also in the existing building. The new building’s barrier-free access will also provide unimpeded access to the older building, which was previously not barrier-free.
The new building will be constructed as a reinforced concrete frame with column-free interior spaces; the openings in the facade will be fully filled with prefabricated window elements. Externally, the load-bearing structure is reflected by curtain-wall ceramic elements; the closed exterior surface of the stair tower, which is illuminated from the side, will be fully covered with vegetation. At least 50% of the roof will also be greened and will feature a solar panel system.
The key factor in conserving resources in construction is a building’s durability. A fundamental prerequisite for achieving the longest possible service life is a design and construction approach focused on flexibility.
To meet these requirements, the Papageno Elementary School was designed using a
reinforced concrete construction method made from recycled concrete with prefabricated wooden window elements. The minimalist reinforced concrete skeleton structure with column-free floors creates the conditions for maximum flexibility in future uses.
The prefabricated wooden structures of the facade window elements and the lightweight partition walls allow for CO2-neutral modifications to the facades and floor plans in the event of future structural changes. All other components are attached to the base structure in a non-destructive and reversible manner, following a modular design principle.
