{"id":27241,"date":"2026-10-06T12:26:36","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T10:26:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/review-of-schulbau-cologne\/"},"modified":"2026-10-09T10:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-10-09T08:33:44","slug":"review-of-schulbau-cologne","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/review-of-schulbau-cologne\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of SCHULBAU Cologne"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Energy, Exchange, and New Paths for Quality Schools<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n

High-Energy Kickoff in Cologne<\/strong><\/strong>Upon entering the Palladium, the immense need was palpable \u2013 as was the determination of all involved to create the best possible learning environments for children and young people. We all face the same questions: How do we acquire space? How do we organize processes intelligently and proactively? And how do we design spaces that truly support new pedagogy, all-day schooling, and climate adaptation? Our trade fair has once again shown that this exchange is urgently needed and actively sought. Visitor numbers exceeded all previous SCHULBAU records. Between the stands, lectures, and discussions, a special sense of genuine collaboration emerged among all participants \u2013 architects, school authorities, educators, administration, and the construction industry. Questioning, debating, laughing, and networking continued well into the blue hour. <\/p>\n\n

Speed begins long before the construction site<\/strong><\/strong>\u201cPersonnel, money, space, or all three?\u201d \u2013 the question posed by Jens Rauber, Managing Director of the Cologne School Construction Company<\/strong>, brought a core issue to the table. Faster school construction does not start on the building site. It begins much earlier: with clear responsibilities, secured plots, reliable financing, and procurement structures that interlock.Prefabrication and timber module construction can increase speed, for example, when production and site preparation run in parallel. At the same time, it became clear that those who build quickly must think long-term. Schools must be capable of expansion, change, and adaptation to new pedagogical and climatic requirements.Furthermore, existing buildings are not a side project. Many municipalities cannot simply build new facilities. Developing, repurposing, and spatially reorganizing existing schools becomes decisive where space and budgets are tight. Examples of how underutilized areas can be transformed into genuine places for learning, recreation, or social interaction were particularly inspiring. <\/p>\n\n

How spaces help shape learning<\/strong><\/strong>In Cologne, the frequently cited concept of \u201cspace as the third teacher\u201d took on a very concrete form. When learning no longer takes place solely through frontal instruction, schools require spaces for group work, retreat, movement, and social interaction.Then there is the all-day school requirement: Since August 2026, a legal entitlement has applied to newly enrolled children, extending to all primary school year groups by 2029\/30. This changes schools \u2013 both spatially and atmospherically. They are becoming living spaces, with requirements for dining, leisure, rest, movement, and diverse forms of learning.The term Phase Zero<\/strong> was mentioned repeatedly: the early collaborative clarification of what a school needs pedagogically and spatially. Cologne<\/strong> and D\u00fcsseldorf<\/strong> impressively demonstrated how much faster and clearer projects become when schools, school authorities, administration, and planners come together early. <\/p>\n\n

Climate-resilient \u2013 and aesthetically pleasing, please<\/strong><\/strong>Climate adaptation became concrete in Cologne. Hot summers, overheated classrooms, heavy rain \u2013 all of this has long been a reality. Shading, greening, materials with good heat and moisture-regulating properties, night cooling, rainwater retention: the examples showed how much is possible when climate adaptation is conceived not as an add-on, but as a fundamental principle.And then there was this sentence from Prof. Christian Heuchel that resonated: \u201cLet us build beautiful schools.\u201d<\/strong>A statement that felt almost liberating amidst the focus on speed and cost-effectiveness. Because atmosphere, identification, and architectural quality are not luxuries. They are part of a good education. <\/p>\n\n

Learning from one another \u2013 across city limits<\/strong>The second day of the fair showed how different municipalities solve similar challenges. D\u00fcsseldorf<\/strong> with a long-term organized school construction offensive, Dortmund<\/strong> with new paths in standardization and procurement, and Wuppertal<\/strong> with strong perspectives on existing buildings and participation.It was not about copying models, but about learning from one another: What works elsewhere \u2013 and what aspects of that fit one’s own conditions? This is precisely where the particular strength of SCHULBAU lies: good solutions do not have to end at city or state borders.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

“Hello Office!” \u2013 Engaging in Direct Dialogue<\/strong>The new “Hello Office!” format, which premiered at SCHULBAU K\u00f6ln and met with great interest, also demonstrated how uncomplicated exchange can be. At selected meeting points at the fair, visitors could engage directly with representatives from municipalities, offices, and authorities \u2013 without fixed appointments or major hurdles. This provided space for specific questions, new contacts, and the exchange of ideas regarding current challenges in school construction. A format that fosters proximity and brings together the people who are jointly advancing educational construction. <\/p>\n\n

Out of the Palladium, into practice<\/strong>The conclusion could hardly have been more fitting. During the excursion to Gesamtschule Ossendorf<\/strong>, many of the fair’s themes became tangible: timber-concrete hybrid construction, learning house structures, green roofs, facades, heat protection, and rainwater retention. Discussions turned into spaces, and ideas into a built environment. <\/p>\n\n

Thank you, Cologne \u2013 and on to Berlin<\/strong>Thank you to everyone who filled our SCHULBAU Cologne with projects, experiences, questions, new ideas, and so many intensive discussions. It was great to be with you \u2013 and we are taking a lot away from Cologne. <\/strong>We will build on this in Berlin \u2013 with many new voices, fresh perspectives, and of course familiar faces that make the exchange so valuable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Statements from the trade fair:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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\u00a9 Florian Kretzschmar<\/p>\n\n

\u201cA day with high-quality contributions, many good discussions, and concrete project ideas that we now want to implement together. With its excursion program and on-site encounters, SCHULBAU combines the broadening of horizons with networking. Good schools are created where school development and school construction are conceived together and where different professions work on them from multiple perspectives and in collaboration. SCHULBAU brings these people together and demonstrates what is possible through the excursion.\u201d<\/p>Florian Kretzschmar, Learning SPACE Developer Brilon, NRW<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n

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\u00a9 Georg Salomon<\/p>\n\n

The response to the presentation of our \u201cPedagogical Architecture\u201d project at the opening of the Schulbau trade fair in Cologne was truly fantastic. The subsequent direct dialogue with school authorities, architects, and educators on-site showed once again: school must be completely rethought today. For us, the greatest benefit of the fair lies in the practical exchange and networking with a wide variety of stakeholders in school construction. The impressions gained and the positive feedback provide us with momentum in our targeted support of schools and school authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia, so that learning spaces are transformed into living spaces through future-oriented design. <\/em><\/p>Georg Salomon, Dipl.-Ing. Arch, State Institute for Schools of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n

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\u00a9 Philipp Stranzinger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

“SCHULBAU Cologne demonstrated for us how valuable shared exchange about the school of tomorrow truly is. Here, people come together who take responsibility and actively shape our educational spaces. As a Swiss family business with a long tradition, we were particularly pleased to speak about spatial hygiene and acoustics in classrooms. Good learning environments help children feel comfortable and learn with concentration. At the same time, they support our teachers, whose demanding work deserves special recognition and respect for the future of our children. Those who design good schools create space for successful learning and teaching.”<\/em><\/p>Philipp Stranzinger<\/strong>, Sales Director Germany North<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n

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\u00a9 Domeniceau<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

“School construction is one of the most pressing planning and building tasks of our time \u2013 and not only out of responsibility toward the younger generation. Municipalities, states, and the federal government are investing large sums here. The SCHULBAUSALON is an important meeting point for all those involved to discuss effective methods of procurement and high-quality school buildings. The North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Architects is pleased to be a partner of this inspiring format. <\/em>“<\/em><\/p>Gesche Arns-B\u00fcsker<\/em><\/strong>, <\/strong>Vice President of the North Rhine-Westphalia Chamber of Architects<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n

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\u00a9 GMW<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

“I really enjoyed the SCHULBAU trade fair. I found the range of different topics and speakers impressive. It was an ideal opportunity for networking. <\/em>“<\/em><\/p>Mirja Montag<\/em><\/strong>, Operations Manager of Building Management for the City of Wuppertal<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What a two-day event in Cologne! On September 30 and October 1, 2026, SCHULBAU Cologne at the Palladium demonstrated the energy, creative drive, and shared commitment inherent in educational construction. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":27297,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":""},"categories":[94,169],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-schulbau-fair","category-slider"],"acf":[],"ticketed":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27241"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27460,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27241\/revisions\/27460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27297"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schulbau.online\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}