Building canteens & cafeterias in modular design

Timely provision of functional canteens

The demand for modern and efficient catering facilities at schools is growing noticeably, not least due to the legal entitlement to all-day care for primary school children from 1 August 2026. This will be introduced in stages and should apply to all children in years 1 to 4 by 2029. This will increase the pressure on local authorities and school boards to provide suitable infrastructure such as a functional canteen in good time.

The pressure on infrastructure is also growing in the higher education sector: rising student numbers, new study locations and the demand for healthy, modern campus catering require flexible solutions. A modular planned canteen for universities offers the necessary capacity expansion, whether as a permanent new building or a temporary addition. Their rapid realisation and adaptability make them the ideal solution for student unions, universities and private providers.

70% shorter construction time and reliable scheduling thanks to weather-independent, serial production.

Planning and investment security thanks to a fixed price guarantee.

Clean and quiet construction sites thanks to a high degree of prefabrication.

Low life cycle costs thanks to integrated planning.

Sustainable construction through optimized use of resources.

Controlled quality through certified factory production.

High flexibility thanks to a self-supporting steel skeleton structure with non-load-bearing walls.

Appealing architecture thanks to individual cubature, floor plan, and facade design.

FAQ on modular canteens

Thanks to industrial prefabrication in the factory, the construction of a modular canteen can be realised much faster than with conventional construction methods. While traditional construction projects often take many months - due to weather conditions, construction site logistics or interface problems, for example - many work steps run in parallel in modular construction.

The modules are produced under controlled conditions, regardless of the weather, while the foundation and connection work is already taking place on the construction site. This saves time and reduces delays. The subsequent assembly on site takes place within a few days to weeks - depending on the size of the project. This means that a complete canteen including kitchen, dining hall, ancillary rooms and technology can often be handed over ready for occupation just a few months after planning approval.

Especially for time-critical projects - for example, to fulfil the upcoming legal requirement for all-day care - modular construction is a real solution for realising functional buildings such as canteens quickly, with reliable planning and with minimal disruption to ongoing school or university operations.

Yes, a modular canteen extension is ideally suited to being realised during ongoing school or university operations. This is precisely where modular construction demonstrates one of its greatest advantages: Extensive prefabrication in the factory eliminates many of the typical construction site burdens such as noise, dirt, material transport or long construction times on site.

The actual construction time on site, i.e. the assembly of the prefabricated modules, is very short and often takes place within a few days. This means less disruption for pupils, teachers and the school as a whole. Safety-related aspects can also be better controlled, as there is only a limited period of construction site activity on the school grounds.

In addition, planning can be carried out in such a way that noisy or logistically sensitive steps are carried out during holiday periods. The high precision and cleanliness of the module production also enable immediate use after completion without long drying times or reworking. In short, it is not only possible to build a canteen extension while the school is still open, but modular construction also makes it particularly efficient and safe to realise.

Modular canteens from ALHO fulfil all the relevant hygiene and technical requirements placed on modern communal catering facilities. Particularly in school and university environments, strict requirements apply in terms of food safety, ventilation, fire protection and accessibility.

In the area of hygiene, all requirements of food law regulations are complied with. This includes the implementation of an HACCP concept for the safe control and monitoring of all hygiene-relevant processes. The selection of suitable, easy-to-clean materials and a clear functional separation of work areas, such as between incoming goods, food preparation and serving, ensure a safe and well thought-out room concept.

The buildings also comply with the latest technical standards: modern ventilation systems with heat recovery, prepared connections for professional kitchen technology, standardised sound and heat insulation as well as measures for preventive structural fire protection. The implementation takes into account central regulations such as the DIN standards for commercial kitchen construction, accessibility and structural fire protection.

Thanks to prefabrication in the factory, these standards can not only be planned precisely, but also implemented with consistently high quality. The result is durable, safe and functional rooms that are able to withstand the demands of everyday school and university life in the long term.

Capacities can be planned flexibly: from smaller canteens for 50-100 meals a day to large kitchens serving several hundred meals an hour. The modular design allows the canteen to be customised exactly to the needs of the school or university, both in terms of the dining room and the kitchen technology.

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How schools create sustainable spaces

All-day schools have long been more than just educational institutions. They are becoming places to live that combine care, leisure, support and healthy meals under one roof. With the legal entitlement to all-day care for primary school children coming into force on 1 August 2026, this change will finally become the focus of school infrastructure planning. It will be introduced gradually, starting with first-graders, and will apply to all grades 1 to 4 from 2029.

For local authorities and school boards, this means that they not only need more rooms, but also new solutions - quickly, economically and functionally. The provision of meals in particular is becoming massively more important. Providing several hundred meals a day in an efficient, hygienic and child-friendly manner is a major challenge for many schools.

ALHO offers a future-proof solution with a modularly planned new canteen building or canteen extension. Thanks to industrial prefabrication, high-quality, architecturally flexible spaces can be realised in the shortest possible time and tailored precisely to local requirements without significantly disrupting ongoing school operations.

Every solution can be planned individually: from compact serving kitchens with a dining area to fully equipped canteen kitchens for several school trains. Complemented by modern building services and sustainable materials, the result is a canteen that is not only functional, but also durable, energy-efficient and eligible for funding.

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