New construction of the Marie Curie School in Leipzig: Ralph Hengst on architectural clarity in educational buildings

Educational spaces are not created in a vacuum. They are part of urban development, intervening in existing structures and shaping new ones. In the Leipzig district of Wiederitzsch, an industrial wasteland is currently being transformed into a place of learning. The new Marie Curie School is being built on the site of the former wood finishing plant – a six-class grammar school with a three-field sports hall. For Ralph Hengst, architect BDA and managing director of the architectural firm Raum und Bau GmbH, the project is more than a new school building. It is a contribution to the transformation of urban space and to the reformulation of education in an urban context.

Ralph Hengst will present the project at SCHULBAU Salon & Messe Leipzig 2025. His lecture introduces the architectural idea behind the new school. In doing so, he poses the question of how functional requirements, pedagogical concepts and urban development potential can be combined. The new building follows a structured approach: clear floor plans, short distances, clear zones for orientation and identification. It’s about spaces that work – but also about those that create atmosphere.

The quote that Ralph Hengst prefaces his lecture refers to this claim: “Architecture is the art of organizing space,” he says, referring to Auguste Perret. This idea forms the basis for his planning approach – a precise, disciplined approach to the project that brings together spatial design and educational needs.

The new building of the Marie Curie School will create a place of learning for future generations. The school is intended as a public anchor point in the neighbourhood instead of as an isolated building. The three-field sports hall is just as much a part of the concept as spacious outdoor areas that can be used for school and extracurricular purposes. The implementation is also about not erasing the industrial past, but transforming it productively.

Ralph Hengst’s lecture is part of the technical programme at SCHULBAU Leipzig 2025, which will take place on 15 and 16 April 2025 in the Alte Wollkämmerei. The trade fair brings together stakeholders from planning, construction, administration and education. It sees itself as a platform for exchange and debate – about architecture, materials, school development and how education can be built.