Meester Eeuwoutschool & Het Geuzenschip
Meester Eeuwoutschool & Het Geuzenschip
Meester Eeuwoutschool & Het Geuzenschip
Two connected primary schools in the historic city center
Two connected schools with shared functions
In 2006, atelier PRO worked on an urban design study for the southern quarter within the city walls of Brielle. An important part of this was investigating the spatial options for the two primary schools that are located in this protected cityscape. A few years later, this study led to a new assignment: the renovation and extension of Het Geuzenschip and the design of a new building for the Master Century School. Because the schools were both struggling with a lack of space and were just a stone's throw away from each other, shared use of space was the obvious choice.
A clear set-up for a multifunctional school complex
The design of the new building has been kept as clear as possible. The Master Century School is set up around a central hall that can be used multifunctionally, with a staircase with a stage that connects the two floors. Shared functions, such as the auditorium and the playroom, lie between the two schools in the Collaboration Building; the extension of the Geuzenschip follows the layout of the historic school. There is a central entrance between the Master Century School and the Collaboration Building, so that both building parts are linked but can also be used independently. All the different parts are connected by a wide continuous corridor.
A design that fits into the city center of Brielle
The architecture of the new building is tailored to the specific location - Brielle's protected cityscape. In the city center of Brielle, sloped roofs are mandatory. Atelier PRO has used this fact to increase the volume with a special roof shape: from one floor at the connection to the monument to two floors for the new Master Century School; this almost automatically creates extra height for the auditorium and playroom. When it comes to the use of materials, we also chose to match the environment; the façade is made of light brick, with gable roofs finished with slate tiles. At the same time, we were looking for contemporary and special detailing; for example, special 'perforated' masonry bandages and surfaces with excellent stones were used in the façade.
City-scale schoolyards
The outdoor space is an integral part of the design, including both the public space and the schoolyards. The area in front of the Master Century School has been transformed from an unclear to an efficient car park, with clear circulation and a 'Kiss & Ride'. The schoolyards were set up in consultation with the schools: at Het Geuzenschip, we opted for a symmetrical layout that matches the existing building, which includes the existing monumental plane trees; for the Master Century School, we designed an organic square with various routes and an outdoor stage. For example, the school complex is part of the urban fabric of the city center of Brielle.
New building with a 'Collaborative Building'
The Master Century School was located in a building from the 1980s, which was outdated from a structural point of view but also in terms of appearance. Based on various model studies by atelier PRO, a replacement new building was chosen for the Master Century School with a connecting wing at right angles to it, the so-called “Collaboration Building”; this building houses - in addition to an additional room for Het Geuzenschip - the functions that the schools share with each other: the auditorium, the playroom, the kitchen and the after-school care.
Renovation of the monument
When renovating Het Geuzenschip's 1931 school building, we mainly tried to bring back the original identity. Interfering interventions such as suspended system ceilings and partitions have been removed and characteristic elements - in close consultation with the Department of Historic Preservation - have been restored or reduced as much as possible; for example, wall tiles were baked especially for this project that exactly match the existing tiling. The important niches in the hallway have been restored and allow daylight to return; they are now used as a cloakroom and an extra place to study. We also put a lot of effort into concealing the installations invisibly, installing “sensible insulation” such as extra thin double glazing and insulating the unheated attic floor.
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