Lumion
Lumion
Lumion
Young monument becomes innovative secondary school
A Brutalist school in Amsterdam Nieuw-West
A school building by architect B.J. Ingwersen, originally designed as an MTS, has been located on the Vlaardingenlaan in Amsterdam since 1973. The design was clearly influenced by Le Corbusier, for example by the use of concrete brut in the facades and the apparently floating floors above the entrance, which are supported by pilotis; there are also large windows and an expressive fire escape. In 2008, partly because of this extraordinary architecture, the building was declared a municipal monument. This building is now home to Lumion Amsterdam, a secondary school for Mavo, Havo and VWO; the monumental building has thus been given a second life as a place for innovative education.
Renovation and construction of the educational complex
The original building did not meet Lumion's educational ambitions. The new school had a program of approximately 14,000 m², the existing building was only around 8,500 m² and consisted largely of practice halls that are not suitable for secondary education. After a major revitalization, a new complex designed by atelier PRO was created. The existing building has been respectfully renovated: in close consultation with the Preservation of Monuments, part of the old practice halls was removed and part renewed. Indeed, the five halls were almost identical; by maintaining the two halls on the street side, the original layout remains recognisable. In addition, a new five-story wing has been added, and the interior has also undergone a rigorous renovation.
The first Kunskapsskolan in the Netherlands
Lumion is the first partner school in Kunskapsskolan Netherlands. Education according to the Kunskapsskolan principle requires more than traditional classrooms, but rather places for personalized and differentiated knowledge transfer. After all, students are approached as individuals, and each has their own learning path; they set their own pace and level and choose where and how they learn. That is why we designed a diversity of work and learning places for the renewed educational complex: specially developed places for specific learning activities, depending on individual needs. These types of places can be found throughout the building, for groups of 5, 10, 30, 60 and 90 students, with every element in the interior thought out.
Learning plazas and 'wonder halls' in the monument
The renovated old building houses the CREA cluster (dance and drama), staff rooms and a grand café on the ground floor. The floors, which had silted up over the years, have reopened and are now intended for the superstructure. There are few traditional classrooms left here; around large, open learning plazas, there are group rooms, meeting rooms and “wonder rooms” - places where groups of up to 60 to 90 students can be taught, inspired or amazed at the same time. An atrium, the Forum, has been built between the new part and the old building. This is the school's central meeting place. This is where the entrances are located and from here all parts of the school are easily accessible. The centrally located reception desk has a view of all traffic flows. Eyecatchers are the renovated monumental façade and the spectacular spiral staircase that opens up all the substructure clusters.
Education clusters in the new building
The new building was built on the site of the replaced practice halls. In the new five-storey building, there is a Science lab (for science subjects), the Media lab and a Atelier (for crafts and drawing) on the ground floor. Above that are the substructure clusters. Each cluster is an independent unit of approximately 160 students and their teachers, with classrooms, meeting rooms and a teaching area around a large open area, on one floor. A well-organized, private space within the main school, which is equipped for various learning activities, exudes an atmosphere of homeliness and security and thus guarantees small scale and attention for each student.
Reuse and sustainability
The monumental facades have been brought up to date with respect: only glass has been replaced by HR++ glass, with the old wooden frames largely reused, and the large overhangs have also been insulated as much as possible. Different materials were chosen for the new parts, so that it is immediately clear what was old and what was added. This looked at the rhythm of the existing façade, in which vertical disks are interrupted by horizontal bands. Horizontal bands were therefore also used in the new building, and aluminum panels with custom-made profiling also ensured vertical articulation. The new wing is white in color, which provides a fresh look and contrast with the concrete brut of the old building. The school's board is housed in one of the preserved practice halls, and the other houses a special gym facility; here, too, the facades and skylights have been upgraded and equipped with HR++ glass. In addition, a new sports hall has also been built on the site. The facade of this hall was built with the same material as the rest of the new building (profiled aluminum plating), but dark with white accents was chosen here.
An interior design that promotes learning
At Lumion, they believe that the way you design and design spaces stimulates behavior and helps develop the learning process. In contrast to classical schools, there are therefore only a few traditional classrooms here. The interior design distinguishes between three learning settings: 'Campfires', 'Caves' and 'Watering holes'. “Campfires” are settings where students gather around an expert who tells a compelling story; “Watering holes” are spaces where students work together on projects and learn from each other; and “Caves” are spaces where students retreat to study in a focused way. The educational vision is based on building a community. That is why the spaces had to be as transparent as possible, with as few blind spots as possible but with cozy areas where students feel sheltered. This transparency even extends to the open teaching areas at the lower level.
Iconic design for the 'nests' of the substructure
The basement is housed in the new building. Each floor — and therefore each cluster — has its own theme, in the form of so-called “nests”; the different nests are in line with the development phases that students go through. To make it recognisable, each nest layer has an iconically designed spatial object that matches the specific character of the nest; in addition, the layout of the spaces invites different uses — subbuilders can learn there together or alone, but also retire. Each nest layer has its own open teaching area and has its own accents.
Various rooms and interiors for the upper level
The renovated monument is now the domain of the superstructure. The silted, closed corridors have been broken through, creating a large number of open spaces. The rooms help students get ready for higher education: there are rooms of wonder, such as a debating room inspired by the British House of Commons and a room with a stage for TED talks. Upper school students attend sessions instead of lessons, and it is their assessment that determines what space is used. This way, students can absorb the material in various ways: by passionately debating, being amazed or inspired.
A design that inspires and amazes
In each room in the monument, students are inspired by graphic images of historical figures from science, art and culture, executed as neon illustrations in a striking format. With these interventions, we underline Lumion Amsterdam's educational vision: small-scale and carefully designed spatial objects offer students the opportunity to retreat for a while and work solitary — for example in a cottage or a textile Klimt space — while in the thematic work and group spaces, they are taken into the world of the astronaut, writer or artist via wall-filling illustrations.
