Outdoor Sports Facilities at the German School of Athens: A Contemporary Athletic Transformation by Katerina-Olympia Daskalaki + Myrto Matala

The German School of Athens (DSA) has unveiled its newly transformed outdoor sports facilities, a landmark project led by architects Katerina-Olympia Daskalaki and Myrto Matala. This large-scale renovation, completed in 2022, redefines the athletic landscape of the school, blending modern design, dynamic aesthetics, and cutting-edge sports architecture to enhance the daily experience of students and athletes alike.

A Winning Vision: Integrating Past and Present

This redevelopment emerged as the winning proposal in the invited architectural competition titled New Design of the Outdoor Spaces of the German School of Athens Campus. The project is not just a series of updated sports fields — it is a thoughtful integration of the school’s rich architectural legacy, represented by the modernist main building from the 1960s, with forward-looking, functional outdoor spaces that address the evolving needs of the institution.

The architects’ personal connection with the school added a deep, intuitive understanding of its challenges, particularly in the outdoor areas, which were underused or in need of reorganization. Their solution: an urban design approach that balances discipline and freedom, respecting the historical architecture while introducing contemporary athletic innovations.

Functional and Aesthetic Athletic Design

The redevelopment covers an impressive 10,180 square meters, introducing a wide array of athletic amenities. These include:

• A running track
• High jump, long jump, and shot put areas
• Dedicated tennis, volleyball, basketball, and handball courts
• A tennis training wall and a bouldering wall
• Outdoor gym and exercise zones
• A unique slackline setup for balance and agility training

This diverse athletic offering transforms the school grounds into a multi-sport campus, promoting physical education, team sports, and recreational activity in a vibrant and modern setting.

A Grid Meets a Zig-Zag: Design Language

At the heart of the design is the dual language of a precise grid system overlaid with a contrasting zig-zag line — a dynamic polygonal chain that echoes the irregular outline of the campus boundaries. This zig-zag edge materializes in the form of continuous concrete benches and tribunes, seamlessly merging spectator spaces with the athletic fields.

The architects cleverly used this grid-zigzag combination to:

• Organize the complex program of sports functions
• Incorporate previously unused or neglected zones
• Create visual cohesion and spatial rhythm across the site

The result is an environment where geometry, color, and function converge, offering both order and playfulness.

Color as an Activator

Color plays a central role in the athletic experience. The architects chose a bold palette, featuring bright blue and yellow surfaces, to signal the recreational character of the spaces and create an uplifting, engaging atmosphere. The patterned flooring and court markings, carefully designed according to international standards, contribute to the layered visual identity, encouraging movement, exploration, and play.

This lively color strategy does more than decorate — it enhances the school’s progressive image and reflects its commitment to providing a contemporary, child-friendly, and health-oriented learning environment.

Collaboration and Expertise

The project’s success is built on a strong collaboration with expert partners, including:

• Structural Engineering by Panagiotis Poniridis
• MEP Engineering by Stefanos Papadopoulos
• Landscape Design by Archetopo Landscape Architecture
• Key manufacturers and suppliers such as ECORASTER HELLAS, KOMPAN, Mapei, VINEX OLYMPIC, Gibbon Group, and others

Together, the team delivered a sports infrastructure that is not only technically robust but also architecturally inspiring.

Elevating Student Life and Campus Identity

More than just an athletic upgrade, this project enhances the student experience at the German School of Athens. It redefines how outdoor spaces contribute to the school’s identity, providing:

• A safe, modern, and visually stimulating environment for sports and leisure
• A landscape that integrates seamlessly with the historic main building designed by Hans Graf Praschma and Pavlos Mylonas
• A future-proof, adaptable sports campus ready to serve generations of students

All Photographs are works of Babis Louizidis, Katerina Glinou, Nikolas Kargadouris