Newbuild for I. E. Lichtigfeld School

I. E. Lichtigfeld School in Frankfurt's Westend has been located on the site of the former Jewish community centre since 1986. Following the decision to expand the school to include secondary pupils, the opportunity arose to reorganise the existing building space too. The new primary school building for 360 pupils now fits in harmoniously with the community centre, an administration building and the existing nursery. The challenge for the architects was to add a large, high-quality building to the ensemble in order to meet the ever-growing

community's increasing need for space, while offering the largest school playground possible. The five-storey building features a canteen on the ground floor, 20 classrooms and quiet areas for individual study. The corridors outside the classrooms are deliberately zoned so that they can be used as a recreation space as well as small, quiet corners to study. The top floor features a large roof terrace and is designed as a learning environment. Here there are spaces for independent, quiet work on the computers, as well as for group work; this flexible use is facilitated by the moving furniture, encouraging different forms of learning.

The newbuild volume is designed to fit in with the surrounding structures, with the colours, shapes and height of neighbouring buildings being incorporated respectfully into the concept. The huge, three-storey base features an entrance area integrated into the side of the building, above which the upper floors extend through to the recessed stepped storey. Taking inspiration from the large-format natural stone cladding of the neighbouring buildings, the base was given a contemporary look with small-format, bright clinker bricks. The fourth floor and above is dominated by plastered sections, which get lighter as you move up the building. The different window formats and positions give the compact volume the desired lightness in terms of materials. One of the stairwells is the real showstopper. The idea of a game of marbles fascinated the architects, who were looking for an element to connect children from all nations and faiths. The marble run motif is reflected in the stairwell with its enlarged or opened-out, dynamic spaces which turn an area that people pass through into a fun experience with ever-changing sightlines.

Source: Profile magazine, issue 25