22-08-25 // CLOSE TO NATURE, OPEN, YET PROTECTED Tenth Rank

View of the new building with the open spaces and the play and break areas in the foreground

Nature-Based Special Education Centre
For a particularly nature-based and simply organised new special education centre, the spatial programme is divided into three areas and distributed across four building sections. This creates a building interspersed with open spaces through three courtyards. To the west lies the children’s house; in the centre are the common areas, including the sports area, therapy, administration, and kitchen; and to the east is the youth area. To encourage a strong sense of community and promote encounters within a highly integrative and inclusive environment, common spaces are placed along the long sides in the form of a “Large Centre” and several “Small Centres”.

Dividing the Spatial Program into Three Areas

Urban Design

Easy Orientation
The division of the spatial programme into four sections creates a clearly structured building in which children, young people, and staff can easily find their way around. Orientation is supported by a clear access concept that includes a centrally located, easily recognisable main entrance and a separate entrance for the children’s house. Both entrances are covered and lead directly to the reception area, located in the “Large Centre”. Additional entrances are provided for the therapy area and the sports and swimming hall. In urban design terms, the new building responds sensitively to the spatial boundaries and character of its surroundings.

Exterior view showing the main entrance and the “Large Centre” with the reception area and break hall

Site

Synergies Between Functions
The various uses are distributed across three floors in each building section, creating a cubic volume that fits in scale with the existing neighbourhood. Each function is clearly expressed in the façade, enhancing both internal and external orientation. The two-storey connections – the “centres” – create a unified image of the building despite the multitude of uses and enable synergies between the different functions. The organisation ensures that all uses have direct access to the open spaces. The youth area is structured according to age groups.

Open Spaces as Stripes
The open spaces around the building and within the courtyards are organised as stripes that extend barrier-free from one end of the property to the other. Accordingly, the parking area to the north is conceived as an integral part of the open spaces and includes “green” elements. To the west, the open-space stripes begin with a lush, grassy playing field; they become colourful and playful in the designated area of the children’s house; centrally, they complement the common areas with many functions, such as the children’s vehicle track; and to the east, in the youth area, they conclude with increasingly neutral colours, seating niches, and “outdoor classrooms”. The landscape design thus transitions gradually from playful to calm, reflecting the users’ age and activities.

View of the new special education centre with the children’s house in the foreground and the main entrance at the centre

Roof Terraces and Green Roofs
A socially sustainable building is created through the “Large Centre” as a reception and meeting area with social and break rooms, and through the “Small Centres” with communal uses. The roof terraces of the children’s house, therapy, and youth areas also contribute to social sustainability. The building’s ecological sustainability is ensured by a green roof, photovoltaic systems, and efficient water management. Natural building materials are used throughout: the supporting structure is made of timber, while the façade features natural stone. Effective solar shading further increases energy efficiency.

Open yet Protected Clusters
The atmosphere of a typical cluster in the new building is primarily defined by the green courtyards, which offer direct access from the classrooms and group rooms. This creates spaces that are both open and provide a sense of shelter. These spatial qualities are reinforced by the surrounding open spaces. The size of each building section is designed so that a cluster, including rooms for differentiated learning and special functions, can always be located on one floor. The “Large Centre” and the “Small Centres” at the transitions to the outdoor areas further enrich and diversify the spatial qualities of the clusters.

Interior view of the “Small Centre” of the primary school with a view towards the inner courtyard

Title: Close to Nature, Open, yet Protected
Project: Centre for Special Education
Date: August 2025
Type: Invited realization competition
Organizer: City of Senden, Germany
Location: Senden, Germany
Site: Special Education Centre of Lebenshilfe Donau-Iller e.V.
Programme: Centre for special education
Surface: 20.0000m2
Status: Competition
Awards: Final phase, Tenth Rank
Team: Bernd Upmeyer, Ali Ansari (BOARD), Beatriz Ramo, Danae Zachariaki (STAR), Silvia Lupini (LOOP)