Opening of the school in Pioneer Park: A historical turning point for Hanau!

Opening of the school in Pioneer Park: A historical turning point for Hanau!

On Friday morning, June 16, 2025, a very special project was officially inaugurated in the Wolfgang district of Hanau: The “School in Pioneer Park” opened its doors. Mayor Dr. Maximilian Bieri described the opening as a historic moment for the city. With an investment volume of around 17.5 million euros, the first completely new city-run school in half a century was built here. This measure is intended to help create urgently needed school places and promote integrated educational opportunities, such as OP-Online reports.

The new educational facility offers space for up to 300 primary school students and is an important addition to the existing educational offerings in Hanau. The city of Hanau is responsible for a total of 27 schools, including 16 primary schools, six secondary schools, two special schools and three vocational schools with around 18,500 students. The planning and implementation of the “School in Pioneer Park” was carried out by the municipal company Hanau Immobilien- und Baumanagement (IBM), and the construction work started in November 2021. This was an important step in the further development of the educational infrastructure in the region.

A modern approach to education

The architectural concept comes from the renowned Behnisch Architects and relies on a barrier-free design and a modern spatial concept with open learning areas. The school is fully digitally equipped, including interactive boards and comprehensive WiFi. This enables teachers and students to learn in a modern way that meets current requirements. The net floor area of ​​the school building is an impressive 4,037 square meters, including a gymnasium, which was designed as a single-story solid building with a wooden facade and a green roof and was completed in January 2025. This gym is also available to clubs and is another plus point for the community Future Hanau is described.

In order to make the educational institution sustainable in the future, the school was funded with around 1.6 million euros as part of the KfW “BEG Kommunal” program. In addition, there are material equipment costs amounting to around 971,000 euros. An important aspect is the connection to the neighboring “Pioneer” daycare center, which forms an educational campus together with the new school. This integration is another step in the right direction to meet the needs of families.

A look at the challenges facing education systems

The opening of the “School in Pioneer Park” shows how important a modern and well-equipped educational facility is for the future of our children. It is an example at a time when many schools in Germany are suffering from a blatant investment backlog. Overall, the backlog in school infrastructure amounts to 54.8 billion euros, which underlines the urgency of such projects. The increase in the number of children as well as political decisions, such as the right to all-day care, make the creation and renewal of educational offerings essential Architecture sheet notes.

The construction of the new school is not only a ray of hope for the city of Hanau, but also a sign that the challenges in the education sector are being recognized. The planning of the outdoor facilities is currently in progress and is expected to be completed by July 2025. The needs of the children are also taken into account here with natural play and exercise areas. The educational campus in Pioneer Park is a step in the right direction and shows the city administration's good hand when it comes to educational security for the next generations.