A new sports and multipurpose hall in the small German town of Bihlafingen showcases an innovative use of historical engineering principles, incorporating wooden Polonceau trusses that trace their origins back to 19th-century railway architecture. The project, designed by Stuttgart-based Birk Heilmeyer and Frenzel Architects, brings a piece of railroad history to a community that never had a train station of its own.
The Polonceau truss system, named after French railway engineer Camille Polonceau, was originally developed for spanning large distances with delicate structural elements. These trusses became a hallmark of major 19th-century railway station construction due to their ability to create expansive, column-free spaces while maintaining structural elegance. The architects successfully adapted this historical engineering solution for modern community use in the rural Bavarian setting.
Bihlafingen, now a district of Laupheim located approximately 25 kilometers south of Ulm in the Biberach district of Upper Swabia, received this new facility after the architects won a design competition in 2018. The hall is strategically positioned at the northern edge of the settlement, directly adjacent to the local elementary school, creating a natural connection between educational and recreational facilities.
The building's design responds thoughtfully to both its rural context and the dramatically sloping site conditions. The architects used a wooden facade and metal-clad gabled roof to ensure the structure harmonizes with the surrounding agricultural buildings, while incorporating slightly more glazing than typical farm structures to meet the facility's functional requirements. The steep grade change across the site creates two distinctly different facades, with the upper edge appearing as a single-story structure beneath a large roof, while the lower side reveals the building's full height and spatial generosity.
This dual character reflects the building's flexible programming for different user groups and times of day. Students access the facility directly through the lower level entrance during regular school hours, while evening community sports activities and special events utilize the upper entrance. The upper level features a large window in the foyer that provides direct views into the main hall, eliminating the need for traditional bleacher seating while still accommodating spectators.
The structural innovation lies in the roof construction, which utilizes laminated beech veneer lumber formed into Polonceau trusses. Two simply braced, inclined main beams create the roof profile in cross-section, connected at the center by a tension rod. This elegant structural system spans 16 meters with remarkable efficiency and visual lightness. The horizontal forces acting on the exterior wall supports are minimal with Polonceau trusses, allowing the slender construction approach to extend throughout the vertical building envelope.
The lower level, constructed primarily of reinforced concrete, houses practical support spaces including kitchen facilities that can serve community events. This mixed-material approach combines the durability needed for heavily used ground-level spaces with the architectural expression desired for the soaring roof structure above.
Landscape architecture firm Studio Grijsbach from Bergisch Gladbach handled the exterior site design, creating outdoor spaces that complement the building's integration into the rural landscape. The project demonstrates how contemporary architecture can successfully reference historical engineering solutions while meeting modern performance standards and community needs. Photography by Zooey Braun captures both the building's contextual integration and its innovative structural details.
