’t Hofke School, Eindhoven, Netherlands

This is a special primary school because there are 5 different groups of users who work together in one building, and use the facilities together for education, care, sports and neighborhood facilities. It consists of 16 classrooms, 3 groups for a daycare,1 group for extra-curricular activities, 1 nursery school/kindergarten and one gym. The building has a social connection to the neighborhood and also has rooms available for associations that want to use the extra consultation and meeting rooms.

This is a special primary school because there are 5 different groups of users who work together in one building, and use the facilities together for education, care, sports and neighborhood facilities. It consists of 16 classrooms, 3 groups for a daycare,1 group for extra-curricular activities, 1 nursery school/kindergarten and one gym. The building has a social connection to the neighborhood and also has rooms available for associations that want to use the extra consultation and meeting rooms.

The spatial characteristics of the existing school are recalled in the new design. At the entrance to the hall, a core/open space is created with a wide staircase leading to the first floor. An indentation at the centre of the building emphasizes this main entrance. The transition from outside to inside is made via the school’s main staircase with all kinds of perspectives and cross-sections. We took the influential protected green area to the north and the monumental trees as a basis for designing the windows through the oblique timber jamb. This gives the viewer a focused view of the green and the timber is experienced in the oblique jamb. The rhythm of the trees, and the reed mats protecting the current trees provide the inspiration and design for the new facades. The quantity of timber on the facades becomes more intense and fanciful the closer we get to the protected green area to the north. The texture and direction of the timber and bricks establish a link with the bark of the trees in the important protected green area.