Modern and colourful

Teachers, parents and pupils in the Leipzig borough of Kleinzschocher are delighted by the modern and architecturally impressive primary school building, which also incorporates a three-field sports hall.

The new building, with plenty of space for up to 500 pupils from years 1 to 4, was erected on a plot of 13,500 square metres forming part of the former Plagwitz freight yard. In keeping with this location, the former primary school, Am Adler, was renamed Grundschule am Grünen Gleis.

A peek into the building from below

Designed by the hobusch + kuppardt team of architects based in Leipzig, the three-storey building was executed as a solid construction with a red clinker façade, protruding upper floors and long window fronts blending harmoniously into the surrounding buildings, which themselves date back to the Wilhelminian period of the 1870s. Truly eye-catching is the glazing integrated in the jutting edges of the building, which allows passers-by to look into the building from below.

Industrial charm in the sports hall

The three-storey sports hall is also used by sports clubs in the evenings and, with its steel truss roof and large, parallel sheds, is reminiscent of the workshops that were the hallmark of the site in the past. The steel truss inside the light-flooded hall lends a certain industrial charm to the space. The main school building and sports hall form a single complex and are connected by a passageway.

Colours and drawings add life

The barrier-free school building is accessed through a glazed, funnel-shaped foyer in yellow, which also opens onto the spacious, nature-oriented courtyard, with a garden at the back of the building. Three large stairwells in green, yellow and red, with generous skylights, structure the lateral new building.

The bold colours that are typical of the entire new building create an inspiring contrast with the bright and open classrooms, in which light grey, sound-absorbing floor coverings and elements in wood finish create a calm atmosphere in which to learn.

There are a total of 18 classrooms as well as other rooms for group work, special equipment and day care, some of which are equipped with interactive boards. The canteen, which is connected to a multi-purpose room and the spacious library, can also be used for neighbourhood events.

As a special design element, the architects have integrated little faces and grimacing masks in the new building, which the pupils have drawn themselves in anticipation of their new school. They are eye-catching details also in the washrooms, tiled floor to ceiling in light grey, where they stand out well from the yellow doors and add life to the facilities.

Ceiling panels add a dash of colour

The Troldtekt ceiling panels in colours matching the vivid stairwells and foyer work perfectly with the overall design. They are not merely another decorative element, but also contribute to the feel-good atmosphere of lively, everyday school activities.