Cathedral Choir School

Churches are becoming increasingly important as cultural centres, especially with respect to musical education where state schools fail to perform this function. In Stuttgart, a Catholic parish has built a choir school where non-church choirs may also go to practice. The location is central, on a sloping site typical of Stuttgart. The street features a relatively consistent use of brickwork and natural stone - and this material theme was taken up by architects no w here in their design. Instead of a hierarchy of front, side and rear views, they chose to present the building as a sculptural volume, without overwhelming the rest of the street. The foyer, large rehearsal hall, small practice rooms, library and even a small number of apartments are clad in a skin of bricks whose non-load-bearing quality is highlighted by the architects in the curved façade. Inside, the atmosphere is cheerful and lively, animated with red, soft yellow and pale green.