Martin-Luther-School Rimbach/Odenwald

As a gymnasium-type secondary school with six main subject areas and an emphasis on music, the Martin Luther School in Rimbach is one of the most important educational institutions in the Odenwald region. The expansion involved both a functional and a spatial reorganization of the existing school.

The design provides a new focus for the Martin Luther School building ensemble organized around the church. The urban-planning positioning of the two buildings results in an enclosed forecourt that creates a new and distinguished main entrance for the school while keeping a respectful distance from the listed church building.

The compactly-organized expansion is located mainly at the eastern end of the construction area, keeping the southwest end which is oriented toward the Weschnitz landscape free of construction. This leaves the retention area undeveloped so that it can be used as a break area open to the landscape.

Each school function is organized around an atrium or inner courtyard. The smaller two-story building serves as the link between the existing and new construction and accommodates administration rooms and classrooms. The larger three-story building faces an open inner courtyard that opens out on the ground floor to the landscape of the Weschnitz River. The ample opening at the narrow end creates a covered break area that is both connected and separate.