Europe

case 13

This school is a private, pre-vocational school for over 1,000 pupils. The school is com­ posed of two parts: A five-story classroom tower and a one-story laboratories/gym build­ ing. There is a central, skylit open space between these two parts. It is used for lunch, performances, assembly, and artistic activities. According to Montessori’s concept, the school focuses on education for individuality by providing various learning and social spaces. The classroom tower has a huge atrium with a five-story height, and various classrooms for accommodating different-sized groups and learning styles. It also has many social and personal spaces such as coffee nooks, lounge, and cloakrooms. Round- shaped wide stairs in the atrium are used for performances, meetings, and individual learning. The education in this school is also very unique in focusing on learning with computers and other IT devices, allowing individuals to work at their preferred place, and offering many optional classes. Even though it is a private school, some facilities are open to the public after school hours (see de Vries, T. (2000, July/August). Montes­ son College Oost in Amsterdam: Ankerpunten in een verticaale stad [Montessori Col­ lege East in Amsterdam: Anchors in a vertical city]. Detail in Architectuur,  16—19)


case 14
This school is located in a newly developed residential area. Students are divided into six working units of around 160 pupils and 16 teachers each. Every working unit has lst—9th grade students, much like a small, self-contained school. In each unit, teachers with different specialties are teamed to teach and guide students’ learning. Students tend to learn individually, following their own curriculum designed with the teacher and their parents. There are various learning spaces in each working unit such as several small classrooms for 5—10 students, a large open classroom, a covered outdoor classroom and a teachers’ lounge as well. The large open classroom in the center of the unit is equipped with many computer and other IT devices for individual project-based learning. The main school building is L-shaped with working units along the perimeter, and shared facilities such as the lunchroom, stage, science, music, art, and textile room located in the middle. The library and some labs are in another building and are open to the public after school hours until midnight (see Yanagisawa, K. (2004). Schools in the World, No4: School Planning and Design in Sweden.  Kenchiku Gahou, vol. 309, pp.114—121. Tokyo: Kenchiku Gahou, Inc.

Case 15

Fredrika Bremer Gymnasiet Forslag (Upper Secondary School), Haninge, Sweden

This is an upper secondary school composed of three academic units: Social sciences, natural sciences, and art/media/nursing. Each unit forming a community of 400—500 pu­ pils is divided into several courses with up to 160 pupils. The new school building was transformed from an old 1970s building unsuitable for new teaching methods, containing features such as low ceil­ ing heights,  classrooms  lacking vari­ ety, dark corridors, and lack of social spaces. There is a large open space with an atrium located in the center of the building that is shared by three units for student assembly and dining. This space also houses the auditorium, library, and special classrooms. Each academic unit has its own administration, various sized classrooms, labs, teachers’ lounge, bath­ room, and common  space. Each unit common space with a variety of desks, chairs, and computers is designed for individual learning and communication. The building is open, flexible, and light with a skylight and courtyard. The ma­ terials used in the interior and the exte­ rior are natural and sustainable.

case 16

Torpparinmaen School, Kaupunki, Helsinki, Finland

This is an educational complex composed of a school, a youth club, and an adult club. The community people can use some shared facilities such as the gym and labs even during school hours. There is an open space with a two-story high atrium called “agora” in the center of the building. It is used for assembly, lunch, and also many community events. Classrooms and labs surround the ag­ ora. Glass walls enable classrooms to visually connect with the hallway and agora. The hallway is wide enough to set up individual learning spaces with computers and other learning resources. The agora is also used for various learn­ ing activities. Music, science, art, craft, and home science rooms are profession­ ally designed  to accommodate  mem­ bers of  the community. The building has an oval-shaped plan and is made of reinforced concrete. The exterior wall with wood  finish presents  a softened facade to the neighborhood (see Ueno, J. (2005). Schools in the  World, No.  6: School Planning and Design in Finland. Kenchiku Gahou, vol. 311, pp. 14—121. Tokyo: Kenchiku Gahou, Inc.)

Case Study #17

Great Binfields Primary School, Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK

Architects: Hampshire County Council. 2004.

Kindergarten —  5th grade; 210 students

(Author: Kaname Yanagisawa)

This school is designed for 210 pupils with the possibility of expansion to 420. It has a unit for visually impaired children. The site is located in woodlands and serves as an exciting learning environment for children since the school has a close relationship with the landscape. It has large windows to allow natural light, ventilation, and great views. The environmentally conscious materials used are low maintenance and durable. The classrooms are arranged on the inner edge of a horseshoe-shaped plan. A hall, labs, library, and common space called “shared area” are arranged on the outer edge of the plan. Rooms and spaces are open with few walls connecting each other. The inner court­ yard is dry and paved with sculptures to visually connect to outer woodlands. There are many individual learning spaces with IT capacity, such as the shared area, library, and information technology room. Small individual learning and lab areas are also in regular classrooms.

Case Study #18

The Classroom of the Future at Meadlands Primary school, Grey Court Secondary School, and Strathmore School, Ham, Richmond-upon-Thames, Surrey, UK

This is one of the “Classroom of the Future” projects initiated by the nation­ al government. Thirty pilot projects by twelve local education authorities were selected and invested in. This new classroom  is the creation  of  innova­ tive learning environments  to deliver the best and most effective education with the most advanced technology in the information age. It also has unique architectural features: flexible, organic, and colorful for creating a comfortable and pleasant environment. It is a stand­ alone, factory-built prefabricated class­ room made of glass-reinforced plastic. The egg-shaped classroom has a toilet, storage, and large space for individual and group learning. The internal space extends to an outside terrace by open­ ing a glass wall. Students can display their work and communicate with each other inside and outside of the classroom by using wireless IT devices. IT is also used for the building technology such as automatic control of air, natural light, and acous­ tics. Three classrooms were constructed in a primary school, a secondary school, and a school for special needs (see Yanagisawa, K. (2006). School revolution in the  UK and classroom of the future project in the 21st century.  Facility of education, science, sports, culture, and technology, vol. 22, pp. 88—92. Tokyo: REIF, Inc.; see also Department for Education and Skills (DfES). (2003). Classrooms of the future. London: DfES).

case 19
Comprehensive school Bruhl south,bruhl,Germany

With the additions during the renovation of the existing school, the entire complex has receivend a unique appearance integrated into its urban context. The overall size is 13,121 square meters. The center of the new building is the “solar house” with its pyramid-shaped top. The planted courtyard of this glass house serves as a hail used for breaks and as circulation hub. The ecological concept emphasizes passive solar heating (example: solar house) as well as natural (non-mechanical) climate control. The organi­ zation of the plan follows the school-in-school system. Accordingly, the general instruc­ tion classrooms are arranged in groups of four (four-track school), each with associated spaces for section leader and advisory teachers. Throughout the school there are spaces for individual work, group projects, and after-hour activities. The building scheme, both well organized and economical, allows micro additions to the classroms as well as entire new buildings as macro additions. Ultimately, the building offers the possibility for con­ version into a senior citizen’s residence should it no longer be required as a school.

case 20

Located in a societally critical area of the Ruhr district, this school is conceived much like a small town, with many individual houses for living and learning. It has a gener­ ous main building with library, assembly hall, cafeteria, appealing specialty rooms, and a light and airy glass-roofed courtyard with plants that is more reminiscent of a coffee house than a school. These facilities can be used by the residents of the neighborhood. Under the guidance of architect Peter HUbner, the students were allowed to design their own school house for their individual classroom; the first of the children’s school house designs have already been translated into construction blueprints and realized. Each unit features not only a class/living room but also a gallery, sanitary installations, and its own entrance. Thirty percent of the students are of Turkish origin, most of them are Muslims.

Case 21

These two schools are located in the middle of a district full of prefabricated housing units in the old Luther city of Wittenberg. The structure was built in 1975 for around 1,400 students (Ist—l3th grade), and by the 1990s was in need of renovation. During art classes in 1993, some ideas for renovation were generated, which fell in line with the art and architecture of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. The resulting concept is character­ ized by well-known elements such as moving roof- and facade lines, but also varied facade designs with ceramic elements and multicolored stucco, trees integrated into the structure (“tree tenants”), and conserved parts of the building, which make it possible to recognize the original prefabricated construction. In this way, the old and the new becomes engaged in an exciting dialogue. This school is recognized as a demonstration case for a successful renovation of the school type “Erfurt 11,” a school model that was built over 550 times in the former German Democratic Republic.