Elbschule Outdoor facilities for the Holmbrook Hearing and Communication Education Centre

At the former location of the International School in Hamburg-Othmarschen, the Educational Centre for Hearing Communication was created in the course of a conversion, in which the school locations Schulzweg and Hammerstraße of the School for the Hard of Hearing and Deaf were merged. Due to the special need for protection of the children, a generous right of way with parking spaces was created along the street Holmbrook, so that the children can be brought safely to school.

The schoolyards were completely redesigned and, in cooperation with the educators, equipped in particular with playground equipment that trains the sense of balance, which should be promoted in a special way in hearing-impaired children. In addition, playgrounds and sports areas were created for the active break, which are specially oriented to the needs of the children. In particular, the desire to create a large active area where children could ride "Kettcars" or tricycles was addressed. A schoolyard area was designed for this purpose with concrete block paving and a hill formed in asphalt.

Places for retreat and undisturbed communication were also integrated into the schoolyard design. Benches were selected primarily in round or curved shapes to allow for good "visual" communication (mouthing, signing).

A school garden, a sensory path, as well as terraces as "outdoor extensions" of the classrooms complete the range of open spaces.