Bengerdshallen, Ringsted

The campus in Ringsted to the south of Copenhagen (Denmark) is home to a number of schools: the Ringsted Gymnasium, the Zealand Business College (secondary vocational education) and the VUC, a centre for adult education. All the schools use the new, multifunctional, 'Bengerdshallen'. The hall is named after Queen Bengerd (1191 - 1221), a Portuguese princess who married the Danish king, Waldemar II. She is interred alongside King Waldemar in the St. Bendt church in Ringsted.

The hall measuring 2000 m² was designed by Christensen & Co Architects and it consists, as it were, of three layers. The bottom layer is made up of red brick, the centre layer of glass, and the top layer of expanded metal made from COR-TEN steel.

Sun screen

The expanded metal was produced to size by Métal Déployé and it works as a sun screen. In addition, the expanded metal provides natural ventilation, keeping energy consumption and carbon emissions to a minimum. The rust colour of the COR-TEN steel is a good match with the red bricks, giving the 'Bengerdshallen' a serene, natural look that is appropriate for the location.