Primary School Wichern

When the school bell rings to signal the start of the lunch break, things get rather hectic at Wichern Primary School in Bad Oeynhausen, North Rhine-Westphalia: more than 350 children storm out of the classrooms and make their way through the corridors towards the canteen – sometimes running, sometimes skipping, sometimes shuffling. A double test for the flooring.

Just recently, the school building, which dates from the 1970s, underwent a comprehensive refurbishment. As part of this, three corridors were completely gutted and refurbished in accordance with ecological principles to the KfW Efficiency House Standard 90. A new 300 m² annexe has been added, housing the combined canteen and assembly hall area. “The extension is, in the truest sense of the word, the new heart of the school. Not only because it is centrally located, but because this is where all pupils and teachers enjoy meeting,” explains headteacher Sebastian Plöger. The special significance of the space is visually emphasised by the many colourful dots on the wall – soundproofing elements, as Plöger reveals. “They reflect the colour scheme of the entire building: cheerful, colourful and child-friendly.”

The new floor coverings blend harmoniously into the surroundings. The corridors and seating area in the canteen have been fitted with 1,500 m² of Purline from the wineo 1500 collection, in the ‘Silver Grey’ finish, featuring a subtle concrete-effect design. On the stage, which is accessed via three steps, things can be a little livelier: here and on the three-step staircase, the wineo 1500 in the Terracotta Dark finish, covering 300 m², provides vibrant accents. With its warm orange tone, it not only complements the circles on the wall but also forms a link to the newly designed entrance area.

But the Purline wineo 1500 isn’t just visually impressive. “Of the 350 pupils in total, 250 are in full-day care. The first arrive at 5.54 am, and the last leave the building at 4.00 pm. This leaves only a small window of time for cleaning work,” reports Plöger. “Purline organic flooring has proved to be highly resistant to dirt and easy to maintain. Our cleaning staff are delighted at how easily and quickly the floors can be cleaned.”

Like all floor coverings in the Purline flooring range, the wineo 1500 collection is made from the high-performance composite material ecuran – without the addition of chlorine, plasticisers or solvents. It is primarily based on renewable raw materials such as rapeseed or castor oil and natural fillers. PURLINE does not release any harmful substances into the indoor air and is completely odourless. “Health and environmental compatibility were key factors in the product selection. After all, teachers and pupils sometimes spend more than eight hours in the building,” reports Plöger.

Its outstanding environmental performance is confirmed by various environmental labels such as the Blue Angel, TÜV ProfiCert and Greenguard certification. PURLINE wineo 1500 also holds the Cradle to Cradle Silver certificate, which recognises it as particularly sustainable.