The design takes a number of opposing demands in the brief as its starting point, trying to break up the building in parts while still having the advantages of unifying all functions under one roof, offering both a feeling of safety as well as voluntary challenges.
The base is the idea of the “domain” as the most important part of the school. Each domain is in fact an independent part of the school, with its own entrance, outdoor space, toilets and classrooms. This gives a calm and logical organization for the children. The six domains are wrapped around the building’s first floor, forming a star shape.
The sport hall forms the hidden center of the building, discoverable through a zone around it named “the rock”. This zone contains smaller functional rooms like toilets and storages, but also multifunctional spaces or “caves” with opening towards the sporthall. The rock works as a sound buffer as well as an organizing and readable element.
The building is placed with an optimum orientation for the exterior play spaces, that double as entrance loop, so that the school buses can stop directly in front of each respective domain. Every side of the building has its own unique character – quiet and lush, lively and open, adventurous and wet, or urban and welcoming.
By using clear and well-defined elements with a variety on the smaller scale, both interior and exterior spaces have qualities where each child can find their own spaces without sacrificing the idea of unity.
Project type | Study |
Status | Not built |
Client | Gemeente Hoorn |
Year | 2018 |
Location | Hoorn, NL |
Surface | 7000 m2 |