Elementary school and after school care club
Client: City of Leipzig, Germany
1st prize competition 2009
Completion 2015, PPHP passive house standard
Photos: Thomas Lewandowski
The three-story school is conceived as a cuboid-shaped structure set among the old-growth trees on the property. Classrooms are arranged around a distinctive central courtyard, from which children can look out onto the entrance foyer, cafeteria, multipurpose room, and sports hall. The courtyard extends beneath the building toward the south, linking the school’s traffic training area, garden, and the play and sports areas. The white plaster facades are articulated by horizontal ribbon windows framed in aluminum, while bright yellow external blinds provide sun protection.
From the foyer, a generous staircase within the three-story atrium – as well as an elevator – provides access to the classrooms and after-school care rooms. Other rooms such as music and multipurpose rooms as well as the cafeteria connect directly to the foyer. For large events, the cafeteria can be opened up to form a continuous space with the foyer or the playground. The predominant colors are white for all plaster areas and yellow for the flooring in the upper-level corridors and for the blinds.
The three-part sports hall, located in the basement and extending into the ground floor, allows natural light to come in. The play area on the roof of the sports hall is accessible from the after-school care zone, with a wide suspended staircase providing direct access to the sports and outdoor spaces.
The reinforced concrete primary structure, combined with lightweight interior construction, allows for flexible reconfiguration of rooms. The school building is accessible throughout.