New construction of the Mathias Bauer School in Bad Wildungen
The Mathias Bauer School in Bad Wildungen is being rebuilt: This was announced today by the district of Waldeck-Frankenberg at a press event in preparation for the school board meeting. District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst presented the project together with the responsible building management and schools and education departments, the school management and the first councillor of the town of Bad Wildungen and discussed the reasons for the new building.
Mathias-Bauer-Schule is a special school specialising in learning and mental development. Since the inclusive school alliance in 2017, many children have been taught inclusively at mainstream schools, but many parents still choose the special school for their child. As a result, the demand for places with a special educational focus is increasing across Hesse. "The classrooms in the current school building of the Mathias Bauer School in Bad Wildungen only offer space for up to 75 pupils with special educational needs. In addition, the building is also used by the Ense School for the secondary modern and intermediate school branches, which are now recording rising pupil numbers again," explains Claudia Knublauch, Head of Schools and Education. "The investment of around 11 million euros will provide the Mathias Bauer School with space for 100 pupils and the Ense School will be able to utilise the vacated premises," Knublauch continues.
Clarity, easy orientation and the differentiation of rooms for retreat and group work are essential for all school buildings - these requirements for learners at Mathias Bauer School with intellectual or mental disabilities were met to a particularly high degree when planning the new building. "With this new building, we are not only creating space, but also setting a pioneering standard for inclusive education in the district," explains District Administrator Jürgen van der Horst. "The building has also been designed in such a way that future changes to the room layout are possible and flexible long-term use is guaranteed."
The new building will be realised as a timber construction with a solid basement. Modern timber construction techniques and the use of sustainable building materials are at the forefront in order to make a positive contribution to resource efficiency and reducing the CO2 footprint. Thanks to the excellent thermal insulation and system technology and the energy concept, the new building will meet the standard of an Efficiency House 40. This means that the building is 15 per cent below the newly defined standard of the current German government of an Efficiency House 55. Dirk Wilke, Deputy Head of Building Management: "Heat is generated by a reversible heat pump, which can also be used for cooling in summer. The energy for ventilation and heating is produced by the integrated PV system on the entire roof area, which was also planned as a green retention roof."
The two-stage tendering process was recently completed and the contract was awarded to a planning office from Kassel. The first planning services will be discussed with the school management this year. Construction is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and completion is scheduled for around 2028.