A school with a concert hall, fitness room and gym - sounds like a movie script? Not necessarily, a school complex has been put into operation in Lublin, which officials say is one of the most modern educational facilities in Poland. Care has been taken not only with modern solutions, features and design, but also with student- and teacher-friendly acoustics.
The complex of School Complex No. 13 in Lublin consists of a kindergarten and an elementary school. In total, as much as 13 thousand square meters of space has been put into use. It includes not only classrooms and a canteen. The school is distinguished by a very extensive part of the accompanying premises, including: a gymnasium with an auditorium for more than 300 people, a fitness room and a gym, as well as a room with 310 seats planned as a concert hall and, at the same time, a cinema and theater.
Reality like from a movie
Looking at the technical solutions used, it's hard to believe that this is a school reality and not a set for a movie. About PLN 7 million was spent on the purchase of modern equipment. So students and teachers will be able to use interactive screens, air conditioning and a sound system were installed throughout the building, and the concert hall, located on the top floor, was equipped with cinema technology.
In the auditorium, both the ceiling and walls featured Heradesign acoustic panels. These are wood wool panels that shape friendly, user-appropriate acoustics. It is particularly important in a concert hall," explains Romuald Wilk, a project consultant from Knauf Ceiling Solutions.
The designer, Michal Otomanski of the Lodz architectural studio, together with the local authorities, took care first and foremost of the comfort of the students and teaching staff. Thus, the school surprises not only with its functional design and additional rooms for various activities, but also with the absence of excessive noise. The latter problem was solved precisely by using acoustic panels. They were installed primarily in classrooms and school corridors. In classrooms, they reduce reverberation, thereby improving speech intelligibility. Students, even those in the last desks, can therefore easily hear and understand what the teacher is saying. In the corridor, on the other hand, they reduce noise, which can be extremely tiring for children during breaks, as it reaches over 80-90 dB. It's more or less like being in the range of loud music or traffic noise all the time.
Excessive noise is one of the biggest problems of Polish educational facilities. And Lublin's School No. 58 is prepared to accommodate 550 students, so if only because of its scale, it was necessary to rethink the acoustics so that it would help learning and not tire the children.
The color scheme inside the school is also calming. Although the exterior of the building sparkles with vivid colors, inside the architects opted for subdued hues - white, gray, pale blue or cream color. Only in the classrooms are the yellow floors and chairs a lively accent. This juicy color is in line with the latest interior trends, as yellow has just been hailed as the color of the year 2021.
Building like a chameleon
As the author of the project, architect Michal Ottomanski, explains, buildings dedicated to children should be designed with special attention to the choice of colors, which play a role, both in the identification of the architecture and the way it is perceived and the well-being of its users.
Color interactions are important in design and unavoidable, as is the universality of phenomena natural to a building: light and shadow, blue sky and black of night. The idea of the facade is based on the juxtaposition of a gray background covered with plain plaster, from which colorful, glossy, "boxes" protrude. Such an effect was achieved by using sheets of colored glass on this part of the facade, which causes the originally pastel colors to change their color depending on the time of day and weather, like a chameleon adapting to the surroundings and showing them in their reflection, the architect explains the design concept.
Michal Otomanski stresses that the color scheme of the building's facade is not accidental, and at the same time consistent and coherent enough that its principles permeate the building's interiors.
The colors inside are much more subdued, thus having a calming effect. Thebeautiful natural color of the wood of the acoustic ceilings, the gray of the walls and the pastel green-yellow colors dominate the study and play rooms, the designer says.
The building, located at 7 Beryl Street, is powered by green energy from photovoltaic panels.
gymnasium
Photo: © Knauf AMF
Gymnasium with an auditorium for more than 300 people - Heradesign acoustic panels have been installed on the ceiling to nullify unpleasant sound reflections, while also being impact-resistant.
corridor
Photo: © Knauf AMF
The corridor, the noisiest place in any school. Heradesign Plus Superfine longitudinal panels were installed on the ceiling.
concert hall
Photo: © Knauf AMF
The interior of the concert hall, also prepared for cinema screenings and readings, was arranged using Heradesign acoustic modules in Natur 13 color.
classroom
Photo: © Knauf AMF
Classrooms with modern design were also equipped with acoustic solutions to increase the Speech Transmission Index(STI).
dance hall
Photo: © Knauf AMF
One of the additional rooms in the educational complex in Lublin is also a fitness area: it includes a gym and a dance hall, among others.
For more information, visit the company's KNAUF CEILING SOLUTIONS Sp. z o.o. page on the A&B portal.
