The Kurt Masur school in Leipzig combines everything that a modern primary school has to offer: aesthetics, functionality, and child-appropriate educational facilities. The project by JSWD Architekten of Cologne was completed in 2015, and takes account of every aspect that contributes to the well-being and creative development of pupils at the school. This includes the colourful sun shading system by Warema in a bright yellow that is both cheerful and stimulating.
Every day, around 620 children attend the rectangular,
five-tract building that also has an after-school centre and a triple-size
sports hall. The construction includes a generously dimensioned, tree-filled
courtyard that adjoins the entrance foyer, the cafeteria, a multi-purpose room
and the sports hall. When required, the cafeteria and multi-purpose room can be
combined with the foyer to create an open complex. The sports hall, which can
be divided into three, reaches from the lower level to the ground floor, so it
is lit by natural daylight. There is an additional play area for children on
the roof. To the south, the playground passes under the teaching cube and on to
the school's road safety practice area, the school garden and the gymnastics lawn
with adjoining play and sports areas.
A generous staircase with an airy atrium over three floors connects the various levels to the interior of the building. Naturally, access to the various areas is barrier-free. On the two upper floors above the communal areas are more recreation rooms, the after-school centre and the workrooms. The open-plan architecture encourages communicative exchanges, but also offers plenty of quiet areas to study. Thanks to the circular arrangement of the facilities, the children are able to move around freely while the supervisory staff are able to keep watch at the same time.
Well-being thanks
to window awnings
The building was planned to passive house standards
(PHPP), and appeals for its excellent energy balance. A white exterior
insulation and finish system on the external facades is broken by horizontal
rows of windows. Warema's textile window awnings play a major role in helping
to achieve an adequate level of glare and thermal protection. They comply with
the strict requirements of PHPP, while the buttercup yellow creates a
child-friendly mood. Jürgen Steffens of JSWD Architekten: "The sun shading
is a component in the overall system. Along with the insulation of the outer
layer, it also includes the building technology with a mechanical heating and
ventilation system and the solidly constructed section of the outer facade. All
the components are precisely matched to each other, and possess all the
characteristics necessary for compliance with the PHPP standard."
There was a good reason why the choice was made for these bright window awnings. The textile solution is far more appealing to children than sober external venetian blinds with aluminium slats. The colour was also carefully considered, as yellow is believed to be activating, to stimulate body and mind, and also to create a beneficial atmosphere inside the building. The semi-transparent fabric Soltis is made of tear-resistant polyester, UV- and dirt-resistant thanks to the acrylic varnish surface treatment, and highly flame retardant. This means it easily complies with the special requirements of a primary children while pleasing the children in the long-term with its cheerful radiance.