Inauguration of the new middle school building: a showcase project built on a solid foundation

Just 36 months ago, the Steinmühle Marburg School Association didn’t even own the land; today, the new Steinmühle middle school building has already been officially opened. Nearly 100 guests came to Cappel for the official dedication ceremony, and several of them spoke: expressing their amazement, gratitude, and enthusiasm.

The “Atrium,” as it has been named, stands as an impressive entrance right at the entrance to the Steinmühlen campus. It features 8,800 cubic meters of enclosed space and 1,780 square meters of usable and ancillary space. Twelve classrooms for grades 7–10 have been created here, featuring eco-friendly building technology and modern, future-oriented facilities. Egon Vaupel, chairman of the school association, summed it up: “All the conditions and foundations for successful learning are met here.”

Indeed, the atrium leaves nothing to be desired. It features a group room and a storage room for each grade level, as well as a flexible, divisible space, a kitchen, and a teachers’ lounge. Interactive smartboards with multi-touch systems have long since heralded the end of the chalk era. The view from every window is outstanding: to the south, you look out over the Lahn Valley; otherwise, the view is toward the castle. “It makes you want to go back to school”—that’s what someone said in the auditorium. Guests from the worlds of politics, business, and administration were in attendance, along with the teaching staff—and many others who contributed to the project’s success.

 

Expertise and Competence

The project didn’t just fall into their laps. As an independently operated school, the Steinmühle cannot automatically rely on public funds. The project, which had a total cost of 6.5 million euros, required the school to provide its own funding. Over 150,000 euros were donated, with 35,000 euros alone coming through the Friends of the School Association. A guarantee from the Marburg-Biedenkopf district supported the portion of the capital requirements covered by loans. The fact that costs remained within budget and completion was on schedule is a testament to the expertise and competence of those in charge. The school association chair said, “Everything was done right.”

Special thanks today went to Managing Director Dirk Konnertz. “He has achieved extraordinary and outstanding results; without him, we wouldn’t have made it,” Vaupel explained. Konnertz highlighted the support and first-rate teamwork he received from school principals Björn Gemmer and Bernd Holly. Working hand in hand, they made what we see today possible.

 

“The Steinmühle is very persuasive”

“School should be a place where people feel comfortable—in terms of how we treat one another, the atmosphere, and even the visual environment,” said Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies in his speech. He noted that fostering personal bonds is particularly strong at Steinmühle, which is a positive sign. “We’re also pleased about the bilingual elementary school,” the mayor said on this occasion, even though it’s important to keep an eye on the potential impact on enrollment at public elementary schools. The new program, which will launch at Steinmühle at the start of the 2019–20 school year, expands the city’s educational offerings, “another attractive educational building block.” The school sets standards for the education sector, from which everyone ultimately benefits. Spies remarked appreciatively: “The Steinmühle’s appeal is strong.”

 

Help in Developing One’s Own Personality

“Schools are naturally in competition with one another to develop the best educational approaches,” agreed Marian Zachow, First Deputy District Administrator. Education should change perspectives and ways of thinking and help students develop their own personalities. The Steinmühle fulfills this mission to a high degree.

 

Georg Ritter, managing director of Steinmühle GmbH & Co. KG— the organization that operates the Steinmühle Boarding School —had words of praise for the school association’s achievements and its projects. The increased collaboration between the boarding school and the school, which was recently put on a solid contractual footing, is already proving very fruitful and is focused on the future: “We still have a lot planned together.”

 

With local companies

Architect Thomas Oesterle concluded his assessment of the new Steinmühle building from a structural perspective. He noted that the building had been constructed to be future-proof in every respect. Soil improvements achieved by incorporating gravel to a depth of up to four meters had provided a solid foundation for the building, which is located in a flood zone. The project, which was managed by Gade Schlüsselfertigbau GmbH, was completed without any construction accidents, within the prescribed timeframe, and—with one exception—using only contractors from the district. Oesterle remarked with pride: “A showcase project.”

These words certainly fit the musical opening of the event, performed by concert tenor and Steinmühle music teacher Daniel Sans. Accompanied on the piano by concert pianist and wife Marie-Gabrielle Sans, he proclaimed in a powerful voice: “Today is the most beautiful day of my life.” There was certainly some truth to that—at least from Steinmühle’s perspective.