The new building for one of Munich’s first primary school canteens complements the listed main building (from 1939, extended 1968) which is located on a partially forested site. In addition to the canteen with kitchen providing 300 meals in two sittings, the brief also called for two group rooms.
The positioning of the pavilion-like single storey volume within the schoolyard leaves well-proportioned and useable free spaces: The north-east has a courtyard-like situation while the south-west façade is located at the boundary to a biotope-designated green space. Thanks to large sliding elements, the dining area can be opened to the outside in three directions. The covered terrace which wraps around the whole building offers additional recreational space during bad weather as well as additional sun shading in the summer.
The building is of a hybrid construction with prefabricated timber flat roof elements placed on solid walls. Inside, light coloured render combined with spruce ceilings and paneling and oak doors and window frames characterize the palette of materials. The acoustic timber fins also give the room a visually comfortable atmosphere. The floor’s consistent hue visually connects the brown linoleum floor inside to the brown precast concrete elements of the covered terrace. The anthracite coloured textile reinforced concrete façade panels reach up high to the projecting fascia of the cantilevered roof.
The city of Munich’s ecological standards were supplemented by the use of materials selected on the basis of sustainable criteria; for instance, by placing the foundations on recycled foam glass gravel, the usual ice wall frost protection could be spared. Energy from the photovoltaic plant on the roof is largely consumed by the canteen and school activities. The variable uses of the new build and its design quality also contribute to the concept of sustainability.