The four-class Wickerbach Elementary School, which operates on a full-day schedule, urgently needs expanded sports facilities, as the capacity of the existing single-court gym is no longer sufficient for school operations. 

Renovating the old gym while adding an extension was deemed uneconomical in the preliminary planning phase, which is why a new replacement building is now being constructed. In the future, the new gym will not only be available to elementary school students from Naurod, Auringen, and Medenbach, but will also be open to local sports clubs. In addition, the two-court gym offers ideal conditions for the existing volleyball talent development program in cooperation with the Elly-Heuss School, as well as for other talent development groups. 

“With the new two-court sports hall, we are creating a sustainable, fully accessible sports and physical activity program for the students of Wickerbach Elementary School as well as for club sports in the eastern suburbs,” emphasizes Dr. Patricia Becher, Director of Education. “The replacement building is the most cost-effective and pedagogically sound solution for meeting the requirements of a four-track all-day school while also providing excellent conditions for regional talent development.” 

The design is also characterized by a sustainable and climate-adapted building concept: while the partially sunken ground floor will be constructed using solid reinforced concrete, the upper floor will be built as a prefabricated timber structure. To reduce investment and operating costs, a mechanical ventilation system in the gym area has been omitted; instead, natural cross-ventilation is provided via louvered windows with glare-free insulated glazing. The photovoltaic system on the gym roof contributes to CO₂ reduction as part of the Wiesbaden Climate Plan and supplies electricity for the elementary school’s base load. By embedding the building structure into the slope, the roof area of the earth-covered auxiliary rooms provides additional schoolyard space. The canopy also creates a shaded and weather-protected break area. Other outdoor facilities include a small playing field with a synthetic surface, a bicycle course, a “green classroom” with seating steps, and greenery on the facade and roof. The total cost amounts to approximately 12.8 million euros for the sports hall and the outdoor facilities. 

The groundbreaking is scheduled for early summer 2027.