Vocational school in Nordhorn undergoes a true facelift

In Nordhorn (Germany), vocational school ‘GBS Grafschaft Bentheim’ got a major transformation of its outdated façade. Thanks to a modern and sustainable design solution featuring innovative board materials from Rockpanel, the school is now future-proof. 

School renovation: asbestos removal and energy efficiency 

The school building, originally constructed between the years of 1977-1987, was in need of renovation. Not only were there health risks posed by asbestos contained in the original fibre cement façade, but the appearance of the building had also become outdated. Further to this, an energy-efficient refurbishment was desired in order to save on future energy and costs. The challenge of upgrading the school within its existing footprint was tasked to architect- and engineering office schröder wenning. The 3-phase renovation of the 2,500 m2 project commenced in 2014, with a completion date for early 2017. 

Firesafe façade cladding for school buildings

As a replacement for the original fibre cement panels, the architects selected Rockpanel A2 boards from the Chameleon and Woods lines. Project architect Hans Wenning explains that the main reasons for selecting these products are their lightweight properties, making them quick and easy to install, as well as their ability to meet today’s most stringent building code requirements. 

In particular, as a school, there was an extra requirement to build with firesafe materials. Rockpanel boards, which already meet good fire classifications with their standard grade, are also available as extra firesafe A2 boards. Wenning explains that these products were thus a clear solution in satisfying performance requirements. “In fact, because the A2 boards are so stable and durable, we decided to clad the entire facade with A2 boards mounted onto an aluminium sub-construction,” he says.  

Façade boards with a modern look

In addition to satisfying demanding technical standards, achieving a modern look was important to the architect. “What I like most about the use of Rockpanel boards here is that this building, once a heavy concrete block, now appears lighter and thoroughly modern,” says Wenning. “In addition, our contact persons at Rockpanel were able to provide us ongoing support during the design process, which gave us confidence that we chose the right product to fit this refurbishment project.” 

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