Wood Magazine - Issue 4, 2019

Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: MONO Architekten

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.
Photo: Gregor Schmidt

The vertical larch cladding creates a warm and lively feel against the old school, with its austere façade.

Inviting environment with soft niches

After-school care centre in Berlin, Germany by Mono Architekten

A contrast between a severe German school with a rendered façade on the one hand, and a soft and playful building on the other. This was the result when a recreational building was added to the site of the existing 1970s school. With soft lines, green, sloping roofs and a strict transition from roof to façade, the new building has an almost sculptural look. The façade is lined with larch cladding of varying sizes, which creates an interesting and vibrant pattern. The niches formed by the architects help to divide the schoolyard into several sections, with space for both play and relaxation.

The interior comprises large rooms and places for activity in smaller groups, all finished in light colours. The exposed materials are mainly wood and clay, while the insulation is largely straw packed behind plasterboard. The design embraces the idea of using natural and recyclable materials, as this is an important part of the school’s ethos.