Primary school pupils at IGS Lindenfeld move into new building

The new building is characterized by its energy-efficient construction. According to the building management, the building corresponds to the Efficiency Building 40 Renewable Energy Class (EG 40 EE). This means that it consumes 60 percent less energy than a comparable reference building. The flat roof is covered in greenery and has a photovoltaic system that feeds all the electricity generated into the local energy supplier's grid.

Durability and environmental friendliness were also taken into account in the new furnishings. Plastic was avoided for the furniture and wood was used instead.

There are now two rooms on the first floor, each measuring around 50 square meters, for afternoon supervision as well as an office space. Pupils will also find a communal gymnastics room with changing rooms and a central sanitary facility, which is available for both the new and old buildings. There are also plans for a canteen, which will be implemented with the second construction phase.

The two barrier-free upper floors, accessible via an elevator, are reserved for the elementary school. The second floor now houses music, art and craft rooms with corresponding storage areas, parent consultation rooms, a first-aid room and an accessible bathroom. The classrooms are located on the second floor, supplemented by group, German and PC rooms.

"The children will particularly like the brightly colored seating niches in the corridors," says Nina Baumann, Head of Primary School. "It's a great place to relax, read and watch what's going on in the schoolyard," says Baumann. Kai Maas, Headmaster of the IGS, is also delighted with the new premises, which will soon be ready for use. "Of course, it's not always easy to implement such a huge construction project in the middle of a school day. But our major goal was to offer equal opportunities for education and a certain stability and security for the pupils in the district, even during the conversion to IGS," explains Maas. The college is already actively preparing for the move. "The changes also mean great benefits for children with special challenges. This is because they can be better integrated into the regular school classes and supported accordingly. Playing together is also possible for all pupils without exception thanks to the redesign of the schoolyard," says Maas.

The underground pipes were completely renewed, including a new drinking water transfer shaft. The school playground was also completely renovated. To adapt to the climate, the old schoolyard surface was replaced with a lighter-colored, water-permeable paving so that rainwater can seep into the groundwater better and the surfaces do not heat up so much in summer. In line with the so-called sponge city concept, the precipitation is no longer directed into the municipal sewer system, but into a so-called infiltration system. Infiltration trenches are underground retention areas such as cisterns that can absorb, store, seep away or drain water. In addition, tree pits were enlarged for better natural irrigation of the trees and provided with a special soil structure so that the rainwater can be stored directly at the roots of the new trees and used by them. In close coordination with the environmental agency, some of the trees and shrubs have already been replanted to compensate for those that were felled.

New play equipment has been created for the pupils to play and let off steam during the breaks. This includes, for example, a large climbing area and a balancing course. In addition to the different ages of pupils in primary and secondary school, the design also took into account the inclusive offer for people with disabilities as well as retreat options for quieter play. For example, there is a sound play equipment with a seesaw beam, which is also wheelchair-accessible, and a marble run. Further play options will be added in the final construction phase of the project. The planned "green classroom" for outdoor lessons will be completed in the winter months.

Stadtwerke's real estate subsidiary OPG manages almost all building construction management projects on behalf of the City of Offenbach and handles them on a fiduciary basis during the implementation phase. This also applies to the IGS Lindenfeld: "Parallel to the work on the first construction phase, we have been preparing the second construction phase since January, which will begin on schedule after the fall vacations," explains OPG project manager for building construction Frank Herrgen. This included the clearing of four trees, the relocation of the daycare center in Friedenstrasse and preparations for the demolition of the former daycare building.

In the second construction phase for the new school building, the old nursery building, including ancillary buildings to the south in Friedensstraße and a warehouse in the south-east of the school site, will now have to make way. According to OPG, the shell of the second construction phase, the eastern wing of the school, is set to begin in the first quarter of 2025.

The requirements for bird protection, which have increased in the meantime, also play a role in the construction. To avoid and reduce irritation for birds, larger window areas have been made of low-reflection glass. After overall completion, these must be supplemented with special imprints so that they are more visible to birds.

On the façade of the old daycare building, which will be demolished in November, there is a historical plaque facing the street. It reads "Städtisches Kindertagesheim" in the old German spelling. Due to its historical value, an attempt is being made to remove the plaque and hand it over to the Haus der Stadtgeschichte. "We already have several such plaques in our collection and the topic of "Offenbach's writing art" can also be easily understood using this piece," says Dr. Jürgen Eichenauer from the Haus der Stadtgeschichte.

History also remains visible on the school grounds. Below the playground, the base of an old fountain was secured as part of earlier construction measures. The well-preserved red sandstone blocks were carefully salvaged during the construction of the new primary school. For reasons of sustainability and to honor their historical value, some of the stones will be reused in the new outdoor area of the IGS and some in other green space projects in the city. From next spring, they will serve as seating in the "green classroom" at the IGS.

The design by Darmstadt-based architects Loewer + Partner already pays tribute to the architectural history of the site. The new building picks up on the symmetrical structure of the former school grounds and preserves the view of the bay-like front of the old building through a large glass façade. The new building opens up towards the main building with two covered passageways that lead from Friedensstrasse to the school grounds to the right and left of the new central staircase. In the past, the entrances were used separately by girls and boys and led to the respective entrances and playgrounds of the girls' and boys' schools.