The project includes not only a kindergarten but also multipurpose rooms, various childcare initiatives, and a nursery. This gives children the opportunity to grow from nursery to the end of primary school in a familiar environment. After school hours, certain parts of the school can be used independently within the broader school philosophy. For example, the multipurpose room can be used for parties, performances, meetings, and gatherings. We expanded the initial design request further: we framed the new building within a broader vision and defined the potential for the future of the entire area through an inspiration and master plan.
The popularity of the municipality is reflected in a growing number of new buildings along the roads, causing the landscape to gradually disappear as an invisible ‘backdrop.’ The site offers a strategic node between the centers of Boutersem and Hoogbutsel to keep the landscape visible and accessible. Moreover, the site forms an intersection and potential connection of two natural landscape structures: to the north, the Butselbos, and to the south, the Velpevallei. By thoughtfully integrating open green space into the site, a continuous landscape can emerge from forest to valley, with deep views over the open fields as an invitation to explore the diverse landscape.
In our inspiration plan, a new central axis, the vista, collects and connects various routes for slow traffic users in one clear movement and unlocks all the different functions. Thus, the vista serves as a backbone that structures circulation and zoning on the site. The vista is framed between the school and sports environment and the cultural environment, where in the future, the town hall may be located next to the current library. By connecting the main entrance of each building to this axis, the vista essentially merges the different facets of the community site into one cohesive perspective.
