Conservation and Rehabilitation of a cob-building in Leipzig-Lößnig, Germany

Leipzig

CLIENT
Karl Schubert Schule Leipzig, Freie Waldorfschule e.V.
ARCHITECTURE
Hartmut Sebastian Schneider, Leipzig
Services ZRS INGENIEURE
Earth building consultancy, structural engineering and expert assessment on wood preservation
EXECUTION earth building
Lovis Lehmbau, Dreiskau-Muckern
PLANNNIG TIME
08|2015–08|2017
CONSTRUCTION TIME
09|2017–07|2019
Award
Hieronymus-Lotter-Preis für Denkmalpflege 2022
Photos
Reinhard Hennig, Hartmut Sebastian Schneider, ZRS Ingenieure

In the historical centres of Leipzig’s surrounding villages, which were incorporated at the end of the 19th century, there are still numerous solid earth buildings, mostly cob-buildings.

One of these buildings, erected in the early 19th century in the historic centre of Lößnig (today Leipzig), was empty for a long time and has now been conserved and rehabilitated in accordance with its listed monument status. Today it is part of the building ensemble of the Freie Waldorfschule, whose harmoniously integrated new buildings complement the historic centre of the village and provide support again. The cob-building is used as a school cafe.

During the works, damaged areas of the cob were replaced with bricks and earth blocks, depending on the site level, and plastered with lime mortar on the outside and clay mortar on the inside.