Albert Schweitzer School
Albert Schweitzer School
Albert Schweitzer School
New construction brings the child's scale back to primary school
The child's scale as the starting point of the design
The Albert Schweitzer School is located in the Rotterdam district of Overschie, right next to the Sidelinge Park. The primary school was housed in three buildings from the 1970s, with the children deliberately divided between the buildings by age group. However, the school did not have a central auditorium and, due to an expected growth in the number of students, there was not enough space. The new building replaces two obsolete buildings and, together with the third, existing “Sun Building”, forms a new ensemble. The sense of small scale has been preserved, because the design builds on the existing architecture and educational philosophy.
The heart beats in the new building
The new building is the domain of toddlers, preschoolers and the primary school. There are also a number of common functions here, such as the playroom, the library, the team room and the auditorium. The auditorium is the heart of the new building - and, due to its location and transparent design, also of the school as a whole. An extension of the auditorium is a sunken playroom, making it possible to create one large connected space for theater performances or parent meetings, for example. The student library is located above the playroom. This space is also slightly lower than the surrounding floor - and offers space to meet informally with groups.
Secured educational clusters around a learning plaza
The classrooms are located in clusters around the auditorium. To provide children with security, each cluster consists of three to four classrooms that come together around a learning square and a toilet core. Large windows - which reflect the windows in the Zongebouw - provide contact between the classrooms and the learning plazas. By using flexible walls, the rooms can also be connected to each other per cluster. In addition, each cluster has its own entrance to the auditorium and direct access to the outdoor area.
A flexible school building for the future
Because education is always evolving, we opted for a steel column structure. This allows the walls between the classrooms to be removed, so that the new building can be adapted to changing educational forms and views in the future. Due to their position within the building, the cores with the toilets naturally divide the spaces into different “places” - even if the layout is more open.
The facade design: connection and refinement
The child's scale was also included in the facade. Large windows and recessed outdoor niches provide both transparency and scale refinement. The niches are an extension of the classrooms and can also be used for outdoor education; in addition, the receding façade parts contribute to the reduction of ambient noise, especially due to the nearby A13. The formal language of the niches refers to the design of the Sun Building and thus makes the two buildings one ensemble.
The school building in the context
The new building has a clear L-shaped plan that matches the urban design of post-war Overschie, characterized by stamp and strip building. The positioning within the ensemble ensures that three playgrounds are created naturally: a green kindergarten on the side of the Baanweg, where children can discover nature; a secure square in the middle school between the two buildings, where you can climb and climb; and an upper level square that connects to Sideline Park, with a place to run, play football and chill. This subdivision connects to the various entrances to the school and ensures that the walking lines to and from the classrooms remain short. For example, the child's scale is decisive at all levels.
