The refurbishment and extension of the Leipzig District School (Quartiersschule) were awarded the special prize for public clients in the Hieronymus Lotter Prize for Monument Preservation 2024.

The Hieronymus Lotter Prize for the Preservation of Historical Monuments has been awarded annually since 1997, alternating with the City of Leipzig's Architecture Prize for the Promotion of Building Culture. In view of the decades of decay of Leipzig's magnificent old buildings, the Leipzig Cultural Foundation wanted to use this prize as an incentive to treat the architectural heritage with care and has been recognizing outstanding results ever since. The prize is named after Hieronymus Lotter, who, as an electoral master builder, mayor, merchant and entrepreneur, played a key role in shaping the trade fair city in the mid-16th century.

Designed in 1907 by city architect Otto Wilhelm Scharenberg in the “restrained baroque reform style typical of the time”, the 10th Bürgerschule - later Hermann-Liebmann-Oberschule - had been empty since 1999 and was on the verge of decay. In 2019, the school site was reactivated and the dilapidated school building was renovated by RBZ Generalplanungsgesellschaft (architect Norbert Zimmermann) and supplemented with new buildings. In the process, new wings were cleverly connected to the historic building in place of the old school components. The façade and windows of the old school were renovated in accordance with the historical model and the two ridge turrets, which had been lost in the meantime, were reconstructed. Inside, the old color scheme of the staircase and corridors was restored on the basis of restoration findings. (Source: Lotterpreis Borschüre 2024, p. 16 and 17).

LAP was responsible for the structural design of the conversion and renovation of the listed building as well as the extension of the secondary school, two “stacked” sports halls and the new building for the grammar school and multi-purpose building. The consideration of the monumental aspects and the strengthening of the roof structure were particularly exciting. In addition, buoyancy-proof floor slabs had to be retrofitted and floor slabs had to be partially replaced due to fire protection requirements. And all in compliance with the BNB criteria.

Client: RBZ Generalplanungsgesellschaft

Photos: Robert Grommlich