2003
Robert-Schlesier-Schule - Calau - Germany
In the context of a pilot project, the façade of a school built in 1974 was renovated under very tight budgetary constraints.
The architects cleaned the existing plastering, opting not to hide the original façade behind a thermal insulation system.
They also forwent external sunshades in order to maintain the original concrete trim around the windows, and to avoid additional maintenance costs. Instead, new windows with special solar - control glazing were installed.
The original building structure could thus be preserved by focusing only on the bare essentials. Furthermore, the savings made from the façade were used to finance a new middle building that compensated for the functional deficits of the existing construction.