ERFURT – The Lebenshilfe-Werk Weimar/Apolda e. V. (a non-profit organization supporting people with disabilities) has moved into a new location: Chairwoman Rola Zimmer received the symbolic key to the LEG building at the Eiermannbau complex from LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey today, Friday, November 3, 2023. LEG spent a year and a half extensively renovating the building and preparing it for its new use. The organization signed a long-term lease of 15 years with LEG and will offer a wide range of services and programs for people in the region.
“With its connection to the neighboring, outstanding industrial monument, the Eiermann Building, the house has undeniable architectural and historical value. We have honored this with the careful and sustainable renovation. At the same time, we are delighted that the L-shaped building will now become a place for encounters and personal development,” said Andreas Krey at the handover ceremony.
“We are delighted to be moving into the Winkelbau building and thus becoming part of the Open Factory in the Eiermannbau building, and therefore part of a diverse and vibrant community. This fulfills our goal of creating meeting spaces for people in the region, especially for people with and without disabilities. Particularly important to us: all our services in the Winkelbau building are accessible without barriers,” adds Rola Zimmer.
The Lebenshilfe-Werk Weimar/Apolda e. V. will implement a variety of uses here in the future: On the ground floor, an open café invites lively exchange and a pleasant atmosphere. In addition, creative workshops have been established, including a pottery studio and a woodworking shop. The upper floor houses a center for interdisciplinary early intervention for children, offering services in speech therapy (language development) and special education.
A wide range of work created the conditions necessary for the formerly dilapidated, L-shaped building to now be used as a modern facility – with 910 square meters of rental space and 975 square meters of outdoor area: The roof was renewed and can be fitted with a photovoltaic system, the brick facade was renovated, the windows on the south and east sides were replaced, and a canopy was added, reflecting the building's historical industrial heritage. In addition, an elevator was installed to provide barrier-free access to all floors.
background
The L-shaped building is part of a larger complex that includes the main building, the Eiermann Building. Named after the renowned architect Egon Eiermann, the Eiermann Building, along with the neighboring buildings, became the property of LEG in 2017. The origins of the complex date back to the beginning of the 20th century, when the Apolda architect Hermann Schneider erected the first building. Egon Eiermann, one of the most renowned architects of the last century, remodeled and expanded the building in the mid-1930s, giving it a design language typical of the era, inspired by Bauhaus elements.
