Simon Rolfes, Managing Director Sport: “The best possible preparation for a career in elite sport also involves the ongoing development of young athletes’ academic, social and personal skills. With the Haus der Talente, we are creating an environment that supports this development in the best possible way. The project is therefore a key component of our overall strategy to nurture young talent holistically and lay the foundations for long-term sporting success.”
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 will maintain close communication with the coaches, parents and the Jugendamt. Cross-sport exchanges between top athletes will be part of the educational concept. Within the residential groups, contact with para-athletes is facilitated in line with the principle of inclusion; each residential group has a wheelchair-accessible room.
The Talent House, designed and built by architect Bernd Oxen, is a sustainable timber-frame building with plenty of greenery. It is being constructed near Leverkusen town centre and is therefore close to the partner schools and various sports facilities. 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.
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. At the Talent House, the residents will have to carry out household duties, just as they would in a family.
Photo (left to right): Alexander Ronn (Project Manager, Haus der Talente, TecArena-Plus GmbH), Steffi Nerius (Head of the Boarding School, TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Bernd Oxen (oxen Architekten), Fernando Carro (CEO, Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Stefan Hebbel (Mayor of the City of Leverkusen), Simon Rolfes (Managing Director Sport, Bayer 04 Leverkusen), Anne Wingchen (Managing Director, TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen)
The Talent House in figures
