Modern vocational training college provides training fit for the future
Refurbishment, extension and restructuring of the Pinneberg vocational training colleges
The conversion and new building work on the site of the vocational training college in the Pinneberg district has been completed. Now nothing is left to be seen of the austere "Kasselerbau" from the 1970s. The design for the vocational training college was produced by pbr Planungsbüro Rohling AG. The architectural and engineering consultants were commissioned by the general contractor, Ed. Züblin AG. In addition to the architectural design, pbr also produced the structural design. The restructuring of the school was carried out in the form of a public/private partnership scheme (PPP). The construction contract was for EUR 24 million.
The objective of the redesign of the vocational training colleges in the Pinneberg district was to create an efficient school with distinct functions and specific user areas, which generates a sense of identity and provides a high degree of general and learning quality for both students and teachers. The fact that the existing buildings had to be included and that the school was in operation throughout the entire construction phase created special challenges for the design and implementation of the project. On a site area of a total of 22,400 m2, an ensemble of buildings has been created that includes a new building for the motor mechanics department, a newly constructed main building and the existing administration and school building dating from 1995.
Because the new buildings had to match the existing structures, the designers of the building ensemble opted for a contemporary architectural style with regional characteristics. For the facade design of the main building, the architects of pbr AG chose a material combination consisting of mottled red brick that is typical of the region for the plinth, and a pastel red fibre-cement curtain wall facade for the two upper floors. The windows on the upper floors were designed in the form of continuous fenestration bands, while those on the ground floor consist of individual windows in alternating formats. The facades of the new building for the motor mechanics department were faced with mottled red bricks across all floors.
The three-storey main building features an atrium, which provides a logical link with the urban context. In order to give the building a clear orientation and the possibility of a view to the adjoining woodland next to the break/recreation area, a 16 m wide, two-storey passage was incorporated into the atrium. The building has mostly been designed with a double-loaded layout, i.e. with rooms either side of a central corridor. The ground floor accommodates primarily general functions such as the break hall, a specialist music teaching room, a dining room, the department for nutrition and home economics and the construction department. Likewise, the department for social work education is located near the main entrance in order to avoid long routes for the nursery children groups. All circulation routes in the main building have been designed with an open feel so that it is possible to generate open areas at the ends of the corridors and in bays along the corridors as required. These areas have the benefit of natural lighting, and therefore form attractive learning and recreation zones. The main building was linked to the existing building dating from 1994 via a weatherproof and barrier-free bridge on the first floor.
The two-storey break hall of the main building, with its full-height glazing, gallery and the freestanding staircase arrangement, is the main break and recreation area for students. From here, access is provided to the various departments and administration offices. The layout of the break hall, with its integrated adjoining music room, is eminently suitable as a multi-functional facility for school events. Directly adjacent to the break hall are the dining rooms and the teaching kitchen. If required, both rooms can be joined up by removing a mobile partition wall in order to create a large dining area, or they can be used individually. The break hall also provides direct access to the inner break/recreation area.
The new building for the motor mechanics department was constructed on the site of the previous motor mechanics workshop, and is connected to the school administration building dating from 1995 via a glazed structure with stairwell. This includes the new entrance to the motor mechanics department, the metalworking department and the foundation course department. The new building for the motor mechanics department was deliberately placed between the existing school and administration building and the workshop building dating from 2004 in order to ensure that the metalworking department is in close proximity to the motor mechanics unit. This made it possible to avoid long routes between these two departments, which often cooperate closely.
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