The project includes not only a kindergarten but also multipurpose halls and various childcare initiatives, including two daycare centers. This gives the child the opportunity to grow from nursery to the end of primary school in a familiar environment. After school hours, there is the possibility of using large parts of the school separately as an Open School. This way, the multipurpose space can be used for parties, performances, meetings, and gatherings. Through an inspiration and master plan, we frame the initial design assignment within a broader vision and thus establish the potential for the future of the entire area.
The popularity of the municipality is reflected in the growing number of new buildings along the roads, causing the landscape to gradually disappear as an invisible “backside.” The proposed site offers a strategic node between the centers of Boutersem and Hoogbutsel to keep the landscape visible and accessible. Furthermore, the site forms a junction with a potential connection between two natural landscape structures: to the north is the Butsel Forest, and to the south is the Velpe Valley. By thoughtfully integrating open green space into the site, a continuous landscape from forest to valley is created, with a deep view over the open fields as an invitation to explore the diverse landscape.
In our inspiration plan, a new central axis, the vista, gathers and connects the various routes for slow road users in one clear movement and unlocks all the different functions. In this way, the vista provides a backbone that structures circulation and zoning on the site. The vista is stretched between the school and sports environment and the cultural environment, where a new event hall and town hall will be located next to the current library in the future. By aligning the main entrances of each building along this axis, the vista merges the various faces of the community site into one clear perspective.
