BLOG / 10.03.2026

From A to Z – New school in Dommeldange from a single source

A construction project goes through many different phases, with a broad range of trades involved from planning through to handing over the building to the customer. Bringing together and coordinating the necessary people is a huge task – and one that we master with aplomb at JANS.

From private projects to government tenders, industrial properties to luxury homes, we oversee the whole process from A to Z – and the new school in Dommeldange was no exception.

The project begins with concept planning and development. This is where designers and architects get together to lay the groundwork for the build. In the next phase, the project manager – in this case François Lafontaine – takes charge of project preparation, where material and product choices are coordinated, in consultation with the architects’ plans of course.

In building the new school in Dommeldange, the focus was placed on sustainability and design for disassembly, which is why a timber-frame construction was chosen for the building. This method, a speciality of JANS, uses natural materials, strengthening the building’s bond with its surroundings and creating a pleasant interior ambience.

From creative planning to expert implementation

Before turning its attentions to the interior design, the team at JANS firstly have to put the building shell in place and take care of the roofing work. This is where the in-house roofers come in, with their trained eye for the right insulation and sealing on the building’s upper floor.

Once the windows and electrics had been installed, it is time for the interior spaces and the façade. “We realised 85% of the school project in Dommeldange with the in-house JANS team,” explains managing director Steve Jans. “A small part of the project, such as the windows, was implemented with trusted partners, in close collaboration with the project manager and the other experts at JANS.”

Special requirements for the outdoor spaces

The outdoor areas at the school in Dommeldange were particularly important, with JANS successfully implementing the plans for the school yard and playground area including play equipment and pathways. The end result was a fully equipped playground covering a total area of over 1,000 m² for the schoolchildren, 126 m² of which is covered.

One particular requirement here was that several of the trees on the site had to be preserved. For JANS, this meant building around the existing vegetation – an issue that initially seemed minor but ultimately had a major impact on the project’s realisation.

Once all the work is completed, the finished building is handed over to the customer – in the case of the school in Dommeldange on time and on budget, as JANS strives to do for all of its projects. All told, the new school was constructed in less than a year, with ground being broken in October 2023 and the school opening in time for the start of the 2024 school year.

Keeping an eye on the project as a whole, including the outdoor areas, within such a tight schedule was still a challenge, as François Lafontaine explains: “If one phase of construction is delayed, the entire project falls behind schedule.” This requires constant coordination with external partners, tradespeople and, of course, the client – the local authority. All of this must also be achieved within the defined budget.