'De Vlinder' Special Education Tielt


GINO DEBRUYNE

  • Status:

    Realized

  • Education type:

    Free Subsidised Education

  • Education level:

    Technical Secondary Education

  • Address:

    Oude Pittemstraat 3, 8700 Tielt

  • Client:

    Organising authorities of the free school for BLO (Special Primary Education) De Vlinder vzw

  • Programme:

    Classrooms, therapy rooms, administration, school grounds

  • Area:

    1145m2

  • Number of classrooms:

    8


A clear structure based on far-reaching transparency

The school is situated on the edge of an area for residential development, next to another school of which it uses the dining area and sports hall. This collaboration was not enough to initiate a shared project for the comprehensive development for the two school sites. This means that each school remains an island on its own plot.

The building was inspired by the typical structure of a monastery with cloisters and an inner courtyard. All the functions surround the open playground in order to achieve the maximum use of this outside space. The building does not completely enclose the patio but ends with a high overhang which marks the entrance to the school and at the same time creates the covered playground.

The reddish-brown brick outer skin has a neutral place in the typical Flemish landscape of building plots, while the wooden façade on the playground side produces a warm and welcoming feeling.

The strength of this school building undoubtedly lies in its transparency. The glazed corridors are internal streets around the playground and make it easy to supervise the children at playtime. They have generous dimensions and encourage the organisation of all sorts of activities outside the classrooms. The articulation of the first floor is centred on the visual connection with the inner courtyard. The administration and the supporting functions (rooms for physiotherapy and speech therapy, a classroom for play and areas for creative activities) were opened up by the large expanses of glazing onto both the corridor and the surrounding area.