A home for young elite athletes: The Talent House in Leverkusen

Anyone expected to make the right decision under pressure in the 89th minute of a Champions League match or during an Olympic final needs more than just talent, technique and fitness. They must be used to making decisions on their own initiative and trusting their skills and intuition. Optimal preparation for a potential sporting career therefore also involves the continuous development of young athletes’ academic, social and personal skills. To this end, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen are creating an exceptional environment. 36 young athletes aged between 14 and 18 will live and learn together under one roof. These will include young footballers, but also young people from other team sports, athletics, judo, fencing and parasport. They will live together in residential groups under the supervision of teachers. Skills such as a willingness to perform, motivation and perseverance will be part of the educational and learning process. Added to this will be the development of social skills such as teamwork, respect and reliability, as well as a willingness to try new things and accept criticism.

Like the Bayer 04 Campus planned for Monheim, the Talent House is a key component of Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s overall strategy for medium- and long-term success. The facility is being built between the Löwenburg children's nursery and Elisabeth-Langgässer-Straße in Leverkusen. It's situated in a green setting yet close to the city centre, and therefore near the partner schools and various sports facilities. This is because the young athletes should, where possible, be able to travel to school and training by bike or bus. A concept agreed with the Jugendamt (child protection services) will allow for targeted support. Each residential group will have a designated key worker who acts as a point of contact for the young people on all matters beyond sport. They'll have close communication with the coaches, parents and the Jugendamt. Cross-sport exchanges between top athletes will be part of the educational concept. At the Talent House, the residents will have to carry out household duties, just as they would in a family.

The Talent House, designed and built by architect Bernd Oxen, will be a sustainable timber-frame building with plenty of greenery that blends in well with its surroundings. The living areas will feature a green façade, supported by wooden trellises. The roofs will be covered with greenery and fitted with a photovoltaic system, whilst a heat pump will provide heating and hot water. Rainwater will be fully absorbed into the ground via drainage channels on the property. The outdoor areas will primarily feature native trees and shrubs.

Bayer 04 has been in close contact with the future neighbours of the Talent House for almost three years. The organisers presented their ideas and plans to them at an early stage so their suggestions could be incorporated into the planning. Five public meetings were held, during which there was a constructive, open and detailed exchange of views.

Following the Leverkusen City Council’s resolution on the urban land-use planning process, the city administration has now granted planning permission. The actual construction phase will take around a year. If all goes to plan, the young athletes will be able to move in during the summer of 2027.

Rolfes: “A concept that is unique in this form”

Simon Rolfes, Bayer 04 Leverkusen managing director sport: “The competition to attract the best young talent in modern top-flight football is extremely fierce. The Talent House will give us a significant advantage over other clubs, both in terms of content and infrastructure. This is because the concept, in this form, is a unique and promising one. Here, young athletes who possess the necessary skills can develop into elite performers in a state-of-the-art and professional environment.”

Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 Leverkusen CEO: “Success in elite sport is no accident, but rather the result of, among other things, professional planning and a modern infrastructure. The Talent House is a key component of Bayer 04’s overall medium- and long-term strategy. This also includes the Campus, which we hope to be able to bring to fruition soon.”

Steffi Nerius, head of the boarding school: “Since taking up my post 11 years ago, I've been particularly committed to strengthening Leverkusen as a sporting hub and offering young talents the best possible opportunities for development. So I'm delighted Bayer04 Fußball GmbH and TSV Bayer04 Leverkusen e.V. are making an important contribution to the future with the Talent House. The focus is on dual careers: sport and academic education should go hand in hand. With the Talent House, we're creating the ideal conditions to give young people the best possible preparation – in terms of sport, education and personal development – for the rest of their lives.”

Stefan Hebbel, Lord Mayor of Leverkusen: "The Talent House will strengthen Leverkusen as a sporting hub. We've known for decades how professionally and strategically Bayer 04 and TSV promote young talent. This project and other challenges - such as the expansion of the A1 Autobahn, which directly affects the people of Leverkusen, the club as a whole, Bayer 04, other stakeholders and the city - are evidence of cooperation on an equal footing. And, of course, we are also united by the hope that our city will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

Bernd Oxen, architect: "The Talent House will be surrounded by lush greenery and adjacent to nature and residential neighbourhoods. This guided us in our design. The building will blend seamlessly into its surroundings. This will be ensured by the vines, the greenery and the plants we've selected. In terms of the rooms, it will be important that there will be areas for the young athletes to retreat to, but also places to meet and socialise that also take into account the needs of the residents."

Anne Dannenberg, managing director BayArena Tech +: "We involved our future neighbours in the process right from the start, regularly asking them for their opinions, suggestions and concerns. We were able to take many of the things that were important to them into account in our planning. We're convinced that building is a process that works particularly well when people listen to each other. We're delighted that, after a long phase of preparation, we're now moving on to the realisation phase."

Visualisations: oxen architekten