Liseo Boneriano
Liseo Boneriano
Liseo Boneriano
An elegant new ensemble inspired by vernacular architecture
Unit in the building ensemble
For the new wings, we opted for the bold and basic formal language of the original school, which we enriched with local architectural details and colors. This is how coherence was created: existing and new merge into one whole - in line with the goal of creating one identity for the three types of school.
Keep the sun out, let the wind in
The design of the new building took into account local climate elements and looked at local examples. Typical of Bonaire's architecture are the spacious covered outdoor areas and overhangs, which shade the façade and the space outside. Also characteristic are the pronounced window frames with deep nedges to block out the sun's rays, and the open Bonairean masonry that lets the wind blow through freely but keeps the sun out.
Buildings oriented to the wind
Like the existing school complex, the new wings are designed as two oblong blocks. These are oriented east-west to the wind, one wing as an extension of an existing building section, the other parallel to it. The space between the new wings is covered, with a view to the shade and to protect against heavy rains. In line with the existing buildings, there are galleries on the interior facades. The new wings are slightly rotated, so that the tapered interior spaces create a perspective effect: the space looks shorter on one side, while it looks longer towards the other side.
Outdoor auditorium and schoolyard
In the Caribbean, it is common to locate the outdoor traffic circulation areas. The central auditorium and the schoolyard have been pulled together into one covered area, outside between the different wings of the school, shaded by the canopy and cooled by the sea breeze. Here, students and staff can work outside; informal meetings literally have their own and specific Caribbean atmosphere. This is how a new public space has been created in the covered area between the buildings, an interaction zone where students and teachers meet in a different atmosphere, informally and outside the classroom.
Local color
We also drew inspiration from the colors of buildings and the landscape on Bonaire, an alternation between earthy tones and bright accent colors. The new building was decorated with a feast of colors on the interior facades, around the covered outdoor area, with warm yellow and orange tones, complemented by cool blue accents; earthy tones predominate on the outer facades, reinforcing the coherence between the existing building and the new wings. This is how this secondary school got a distinct individuality: cool and Caribbean. There is a sharp contrast between the colorful interior facades and the kunuku, the barren hot landscape covered with rough cacti, on the outside of the school. The building is like a tropical fruit, rough and closed on the outside and attractive and colorful on the inside.
Improved logistics and social safety
To improve logistics within the building and the connection with the outside world, a new entrance was created, right between the old and new parts. The theory rooms and the learning center are located in the north wing, the other school components are located in the southern part in the center. This is also where the teacher cluster and the administration are located; this makes continuous supervision of the entire covered schoolyard possible, which contributes to safety. There is space around the buildings to build sports fields in the future. Thanks to the new logistics, you can really experience the unity of the ensemble.
With the Liseo Boneriano, an informal, attractive public space has been created for Bonaire's youth, where learning and meeting are stimulated.
.jpg)
