© Sergio Pirrone
The creation of various outdoor spaces enhances the quality of the enrichment curriculum: a kindergarten patio (now an additional classroom), a playground with a striking canopy on the ground floor, and a saddle roof cutout for the top playground.
感谢 dmvA Architects 对gooood的分享
The school is located in Saint-Hillis, Brussels, close to the South Railway Station. The building had to accommodate three distinct entities: a school, a kindergarten, and a community space. Therefore, the complexity of the design lies in how to coordinate these three subjects. We make clever use of limited space so that each space can be optimally utilized, functional autonomy and use by each subject. The kindergarten was ultimately not implemented due to the adjustment of the subsidy policy, but this also confirms the flexibility of the building: the vacant space can easily be used as additional classrooms.
▲外观概览 © Sergio Pirrone
In order to cater to a wide range of instructional programs on a limited plot, the concept of a vertical school was born, maximizing the creation of outdoor space. The various parts of the building are logically stacked on top of each other, with the ground floor being used as a transit traffic space. From this intersection, different zones were born: the kindergarten located on the 1st basement floor (now an additional classroom), the multifunctional space connected to the 1st floor canteen, the classrooms on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors, and the playground on the roof and at the rear of the field. In order to optimize the use of space, the first floor is column-free, so its floor slabs are carried by the structure of the second and third floors.
▲交通空间 © Sergio Pirrone
▲教室与走廊 © Sergio Pirrone
▲食堂 © Sergio Pirrone
The interaction between the building and the city is an important element in the design process. The school is embedded in cities, neighborhoods, and building blocks. Therefore, it should not be a stack of inanimate functions, but a volume that stimulates the surrounding environment and provides shelter from the wind and rain. The building's façade and internal structure strike a balance between safety and challenge. This makes the building both sturdy and durable, while avoiding being a closed fortress. The multi-purpose space, which is also used by nearby residents, is the beating heart of the building and breathes life into the street. The staggered masonry surface enhances the layering of the building's internal structure.
▲融入街区的学校 © Sergio Pirrone
© Sergio Pirrone
© Sergio Pirrone
Since it is a space for children aged 0 to 8 years, there is a different atmosphere for each group. The building reflects the school's growing philosophy that the youngest children are housed on the ground floor, with the older groups getting closer to the top. The layered design of the building automatically ensures the distribution of functions, and its organizational composition inspires diversity. Through the combination of color and space, the unique identity of the school is formed. The creation of various outdoor spaces enhances the quality of the enrichment curriculum: a kindergarten patio (now an additional classroom), a playground with a striking canopy on the ground floor, and a saddle roof cutout for the top playground.
© Sergio Pirrone
Project drawings
▲总平面 © dmvA Architects
▲轴测 © dmvA Architects
▲首层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲地下一层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲一层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲二层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲三层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲四层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲五层平面 © dmvA Architects
▲剖面 © dmvA Architects
Concept: New building school Balder
Location: Sint-Gillis (Brussels)
Design team: Tom Verschueren, David Driesen, Emilie Dorekens, Eva Vanderborcht
Client: GO! Education of the Flemish Community, Infrastructure Department
Client info: Hilde Boel, 02 790 96 31
Building area: 2200 m2
Completion: January 2020
Technical engineer: SB Heedfeld bvba
Structural engineer: UTIL structuralstudies
Safety coordination: Greesa bvba
Energy: Greesa bvba
Energy: K27–E68
Photography: Sergio Pirrone, Johnny Umans