'De Mote' Primary School Ieper


GWM architecten

BS De Mote Ieper achtergevel (enlarged view in image gallery)

Photos: Jan Kempenaers and GWM architecten

  • BS De Mote Ieper achtergevel
  • BS De Mote Ieper Ieper zicht op de ingang van het schoolgebouw
  • BS De Mote Ieper klaslokaal
  • BS De Mote Ieper zicht op buitengevel
  • BS De Mote Ieper zicht in de gang
  • BS De Mote Ieper de opengewerkte klassen op het dak
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  • Status:

    Realized

  • Education type:

    GO! Education of the Flemish Community

  • Education level:

    Primary Education (pre-school + primary)

  • Address:

    Plumerlaan, 8900 Ieper

  • Client:

    GO! Education of the Flemish Community School group Westhoek

  • Contest:

    Open Call 3

  • Programme:

    classrooms, multifunctional hall, staffroom, classrooms for religious education, toilets and storage

  • Area:

    1.780m2

  • Number of classrooms:

    16 classrooms


New building as a catalyst for the school site

With a view to rationalization, the GO! Education of the Flemish Community decided to bring the different community schools in Ieper together in a single location. For this purpose the De Mote primary school moved to the Plumerstraat, a site which developed over the decades into an inconsistent and incoherent entity. Through the Open Call selection procedure, the architects of the Ghent architect’s office GWM made a proposal which not only meets the immediate needs of the school, but also serves as an element to provide spatial structure. The new building presents itself as an integrated and separate entity in relation to the larger complex as a whole.

The new ‘pavilion’ – a suitable reference to the past building tradition – creates a large common inner courtyard with its strategic position. The construction of the school grounds is also integrated in the total concept by GWM architecten. The ‘garden’ is a patchwork of various types of vegetation, grass, dense greenery and lavender shrubs. The total concept gives the campus a better structure so that it is easier to oversee and the whole site is given a new lease of life.

The new building is based on a simple concept: the classrooms for the primary and nursery school are situated in a long line on the ground floor. The classrooms have an intimate and safe atmosphere, and the perforations in the roof ensure a very interesting entrance of light. The adjacent internal corridors lead towards a two-storey multifunctional space which is used as a meeting place, for after-school childcare, as a drama space, etc. The multifunctional character of this space, which also forms the entrance for the primary school, means that it is used intensively and forms the lively ‘heart’ of the building.
The roof is a sort of garden with two glass conservatories. The open transparent structure of these classrooms provides a unique view of Ieper. One interesting detail is the fact that these classrooms can be accessed from the primary school, but they can also be reached with an external staircase by the other users of the campus.

GWM architecten not only designed an intelligent school building, but because of the location of the new building and the outside layout, this has resulted in a well-defined and comprehensible school campus with different levels.