'De Levensboom' Primary School Marke


Wittevrongel-Jacques

  • Status:

    Realized

  • Education type:

    Free Subsidised Education

  • Education level:

    Primary Education (pre-school + primary)

  • Address:

    Bruyningstraat 56b, 8510 Marke

  • Client:

    vzw De Levensboom

  • Programme:

    classrooms, dining area, multifunctional hall, administration, documentation centre, permanent furnishings, school grounds

  • Area:

    1850m2

  • Number of classrooms:

    10


Multiple use of space, both inside and outside

The U-shaped building follows the boundaries of the plot and turns its back on the suburban environment with its neutral walls. The administrative building is set back from the access road, creating a courtyard at the front which is used for outdoor activities and to drop off and pick up the children. 

The inner courtyard is the heart of the school and serves as a playground, circulation area, theatre and meeting place for parents, teachers and children. The sense of community is expressed most strongly here. The school grounds are divided into three zones: the traditional playground, a football area bordered by wooden posts, and finally an adventure area with safety paving. Every class has its own vegetable garden between the boundary of the plot and the southern façade of the school. 

The organization of the building reflects the Freinet educational philosophy: cooperation rather than competition. The demands and wishes of both the parents and the board of governors were taken into account in the design, following a number of consultation meetings. 

In order to maximize the surface area of the classrooms, the physical/financial norm was used in an intelligent way. Rather than using corridors to access the classrooms, for each pair of classrooms a small shared entrance lobby is provided, which can be accessed from the raised wooden floor. This way, it was possible to make the classrooms larger without exceeding the physical/financial norm. The outside area between the entrance halls is covered by three glass canopies creating different areas on the raised wooden floor for outdoor classes. The various classrooms are interconnected with doors and spaces in-between in order to encourage contact between pupils in different groups. 

A lowered seating area provides an extra group area for indoor activities and is directly linked to the pre-school classroom to give them more freedom of movement. The multifunctional hall is located along this lowered seating area, but also has a separate entrance so that the hall can easily be used for after-school activities (evening activities, party hall, sports hall for sports clubs, etc.). 

The architecture of the school allows for the diverse and creative use of the space and creates an atmosphere of solidarity. The inner courtyard plays a crucial role in the way in which the school operates.