Creating a versatile play and learning landscape

  • Project:

    Primary school 't Spring in 't Veldeke

  • Client:

    Municipality Huldenberg

  • Projectcode:

    1211SAR

  • Designer:

    LAVA architecten

  • Site:

    Leuvensebaan, Sint-Agatha-Rode

  • Engineering:

    Sweco Belgium

  • Contractor:

    IBO nv

  • Photographer:

    Toon Grobet

With this project, the municipality transforms the village school and its surroundings into a spatially sustainable and socially integrated center. Through master plan studies, LAVA architecten explored the potential of financial feasibility, structural sustainability, and user-friendliness, with a focus on public benefit to address strong local needs. In addition to adding a housing ensemble with social housing, the municipal government decided to expand and repurpose certain school functions. The gymnasium will be upgraded and expanded to accommodate competitive sports, and the cafeteria will be transformed into a dual-purpose cultural hall with a bar function and a professional training kitchen.

The circulation areas in the school pavilions will be reimagined as either a multipurpose space or a compact entrance hall. This results in a school without traditional corridors. Flexible, adaptable spaces can be modified to meet the needs of the children and the various educational formats. When the partition walls are opened, a large multifunctional play and learning landscape emerges.

The pavilions are integrated into the landscape, structured and oriented around the intersection of existing public pathways. Large-scale volumes are avoided, both in the village housing and in the green valley. The recessed pavilions maximize interaction between the green environment and school activities, presenting themselves as new public landmarks. The façade ends emerging from the slope mark the entrances to the site: the primary school at the start of the footpath and the sports and cultural hall at the forecourt near Leuvensebaan.

“… for the great collaboration, and not least for your creativity that has delivered us a beautiful school building. The technical ingenuity, as well as the climatic and acoustic experience, will be a breath of fresh air for both the students and the educators. The building is architecturally more than successful. Even though you had to make budget adjustments during the process, the result is stunning. The multifunctionality of the classrooms and the practical layout and storage spaces are truly inspiring. All in all, a fine example of architecture.”

Danny Vangoidtsenhoven

Mayor, Municipality Huldenberg

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