The Bildungshaus will provide much-needed additional learning spaces for Lübeck’s four historic grammar schools – the Johanneum, Katharineum, Ernestinenschule, and Oberschule zum Dom. The growing demand for more flexible, modern school spaces is unique to Lübeck but a nationwide issue. In September 2024, Süddeutsche Zeitung ran the headline “The Country Needs New Schools,” asking: “How do you create schools with more space when space is such a contested resource in so many cities?”

One solution is to rethink the relationship between urban and school space, as the Bildungshaus does. This extends to university spaces as well, with additional users including Lübeck University of Music, the University of Lübeck, Technische Hochschule Lübeck, and Offene Kanal Lübeck. Beyond its educational functions, the Bildungshaus will also provide diverse spaces for cultural and public events, engaging the entire urban community.

At the heart of the redesign is a central atrium that spans all floors, bringing in daylight and natural ventilation. Around this core, the five upper floors will accommodate the schools’ learning spaces, shielded from the city’s bustle. In contrast, the ground floor will open fully to the public, and together with the basement, will serve as a multifunctional event space with a café, stage, and tiered seating. The basement – or more precisely, the existing substructure – will feature a bicycle parking garage with an impressive 400 spaces. These are not just for students but for all Lübeckers: the Bildungshaus is also conceived as a house of sustainable mobility, encouraging a shift away from car dependence.