Progressive education building to support education and teaching towards a circulair future
A progressive 5-storey building and coverings connecting to an existing complex. The building shows wood as a cutting-edge material in a supporting structure for a pleasant and healthy building both on an urban scale as from within. It showcases circularity, inner workings and is adaptable to changing needs. A building to learn in and to learn from. The new future-proof extension reflects the ambitions of a leading technical school to set an inspirational example for new generations of students.
Local
Netherlands
's-Hertogenbosch (city)
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Nieuwe Architecten Type of organisation: For-profit company First name of representative: Roderik Last name of representative: van der Meulen Gender: Male Nationality: Netherlands If relevant, please select your other nationality: Netherlands Function: Architect/owner Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Eendrachtlaan 110 Town: Utrecht Postal code: 3526 LB Country: Netherlands Direct Tel:+31 30 227 0416 E-mail:hello@nieuwearchitecten.nl Website:https://www.nieuwearchitecten.nl
The new Entrance Building for the Koning Willem I College (KW1C) in 's-Hertogenbosch (NL) is a progressive 5-storey educational building (5,000m2) with a completely wooden main supporting structure. It shows the possibilities of wood as a cutting-edge construction material in a recognizable structure for a pleasant and healthy building that is experienced both on an urban scale as from within. Around 700 cubic meters of wood has been processed in the building (which is equivalent to a CO2 storage of 435 tons), partly locally harvested. The amount of wood used outside, grows back in 20 minutes in Dutch forests of the State Forest Management. The limits of construction in wood have been explored, making this an exemplary project for, among other things, advances in material knowledge, conscious material use and the further development of wood as rediscovered construction material. For the students using this building it sets an example and sets the bar for the future housing of education and as learning grounds for the work(wo)men of the future.
The interior is designed to maintain value of material and the ability to retain this value throughout its lifecycle. It shows the possibilities of circular material use, zero-energy use, with maximum flexibility and adaptability, a modular and flexible to respond to the ever changing education. A legible building with clear material use, visible installations and inner workings, to communicate, participate, enthuse, inspire, captivate and motivate students for sustainable design, conscious material and energy-use. A true education building not only to accommodate learning but also teaching itself. Clearing the path for a bright future not with limitation but with opportunity, bringing people together and supporting collective needs. The future-proof expansion reflects the ambitions of KW1C as a leading technical school and tries to set an inspirational example for new generations of students to shape the world of tomorrow.
Education
Learning
Awareness
Sustainability
Circularity
This new construction is unique in Europe, as a 5-storey educational building (5000m2) with a fully wooden load-bearing structure. It showcases the possibilities of wood as a cutting-edge construction material in a recognizable main supporting structure for a pleasant and healthy building that is experienced both on an urban scale as from within. The modularity of the building and facade have been designed on a flexible layout, placing and moving walls every 2 meters. The entire mechanical installation follows this flexible layout. Circularity is used in materials as pure and sincere as possible. With a high degree of modularity and standardization of elements aligned to prevent loss and waste in the execution and users-phase. The changing interior can be taken apart without damage and can be reused in such a way that it is visible to students, including wall connections with zippers. Renewable materials have been used for fixed parts of the building. Around 700 cubic meters of wood has been processed in the building (CO2 storage of 435 tons), partly locally harvested. The amount of wood used outside, grows back in 20 minutes in Dutch forests of the State Forest Management. Concrete floors add heat accumulation to the building keeping it at a consistent temperature with underfloor heating. Hybrid climate ceilings control the various room temperatures adjustable to the needs of individual users. This low-temperature system is fed from air-water heat pumps, integrated solar panels and is prepared to connect to a future district heating network. Thanks to this low-tech system and integrated external solar screens, a glass facade was possible making the wooden structure fully visible. This educational building is an example for the possibilities of conscious, sustainable and circular use of materials, with visible installations, technology and connections, healthy, zero-energy-use, a modular flexible building that can respond to the changes of ever changing education.
We set ourselves a mission that we not only wanted to make an educational building, but also a building that “educates” and inspires the people using it. A legible building to communicate, participate, enthuse, inspire, captivate and motivate students for sustainable design, conscious material and energy-use. There are a lot of things to endow to the students. And that also makes it a building that is made with pleasure and which hopefully will also be used with pleasure. We have included the students in the work we’ve done, making them part of the design team for interior design elements and letting them construct special furniture themselves under our supervision. We left 2 deliberate blank spots in the interior design on every floor to be filled in by and in collaboration with students. This resulted in a family of ‘specials’, bespoke furniture pieces for informal talks, seating, exposition, integration of green, and so on.
The workings of construction and technical installation extensively designed are fully visible. The technical area (which is normally placed as a closed box on the roof) has been placed in the entrance hall with a large glass front to show the inner workings of the building to the technical students. Various closed walls are provided with 1:1 architectural drawings, so everyone can imagine what happens behind. The building showcases material use and construction. In addition, QR codes are placed throughout the building and installation parts to unlock some of our design drawings/models/deliberations for educational purposes.
From the outside, the stairs, structure, spaces and the movement of people, show the new Entrance Building as an exciting, vibrant environment, where students receive the best technology education possible, every day. Inside, all users are embraced by the wooden construction and insight technique, giving them a welcoming and professional learning environment.
As a college for secondary vocational education (SVE) a lot of different technical professions are being taught on the project location ranging from architecture, civil engineering, graphic design, information technology, carpentry, automotive and marine engineering. The building puts the work of the students on the first place, showing it to the city. The building gives opportunity to all to be proud of the craftsmanship that is acquainted and sets the SVE in a new and bright daylight. The new extension with the clearly identifiable Entrance Building as well as newly covered central patio and inner streets, connect the old buildings by adding flexible education space. The Entrance Building is designed to give a recognizable address at the Onderwijsboulevard (Educational Boulevard). A building fully accessible for the young adults taking their next step into society.
The transparent building is inviting with a public arcade and shopping windows on ground floor and transparent facades showcasing its wooden construction, circulation of students and usage as leading educational space.
The flexible layout of the building makes it possible to adapt to the different needs of educational space, ranging from open learning landscapes on lower floors, to more traditional classrooms and places of concentration on upper floors. A configuration which can be easily flipped in coming years.
This high-end building with complete wooden main support structure, highly adaptable, adjustable to climate and lighting needs has been realized for a competitive educational budget. It is scalable and can be developed further into an even more efficient solution for a circular, renewable, healthy, flexible educational space of the future.
This location for education offers space to 4500 students and 330 employees. All these pass through the Entrance Building on their daily basis. We were able to create an educational building, which is undeniably a progressive new example for the technical professionals who are trained here, the professionals of the future. The building infused them with consciousness about responsible design, conscious material use and shows the possibilities of building in wood. It will not only motivate thousands of students who are starting their professional technical careers at Koning Willem I College every year, but it will also set the bar on their future expectations. Without an ambitious client the world would lack inspirational buildings and mediocre buildings will thrive. The Entrance Building of Koning Willem I College shows that it is possible to work within budget and a tight time schedule and erect a unique building. It sets the bar as a new example for a more conscious and sustainable building environment for people to enjoy. Realizing this educational building with a complete wooden support structure shows that this material is viable for educational projects even within very restricted budgets. It also shows the scale and scalability of the use of wood for this type of projects. It opens up a world of knowledge and craftmanship to the public and to visiting businesses, making it the new standard.
Our client embraced our proposal to construct the Entrance Building with a complete wooden main support structure from the beginning. Showcasing their ambition to be the leading sustainable educational institute of which was recognized by winning the National prize for being the most sustainable college of secondary vocational education in the following year after completion of this building. The choice of building this project in wood counted for a lot of support from the municipality to make this ambition a reality, from planning permissions, approving and enthusiastic support form the Dutch beauty commission. The main contractor and all subcontractors and suppliers participating on realizing this project embraced it’s special quality in setting an example for sustainable educational space. Sharing our enthusiasm and solutions on social media and in publications.
The realization of this project was the joined collaboration of our design team, consisting of architects, constructional engineers, installation advisors, advisors for building physics and fire regulations. With them we could design integrated solutions to solve multiple problems into one solution and in doing so realizing a highly ambitious project within a tight budget. In construction phase the effort and attention of the main contractor, together with wood engineer, wood construction company, subcontractors made this to a real success. To build our design without compromise and attention to detail. In construction phase we had intensive design sessions on all the major components of the build. In doing so solving all possible issues and clearing out all the hurdles of the progressive design in wood. The specific production knowledge of the wood contractor, detailed calculations by wood constructional engineer and specifically optimization of all the steel joints and connection pieces in close collaboration with the design team made the complete structure feasible within budget and time constraints. The concept of the building leaves room for future developments. The difficulty in the engineering process was therefore to make adjustments possible. It has resulted in a building where architecture, construction and installation truly work together and where (almost) nothing is hidden behind lowered ceilings etc. It has resulted in a readable structure that can easily understood and be adapted by its users.
The new construction for the Koning Willem I College in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NL) is unique in the Netherlands and Europe, as a 5-storey high educational building (5000m2) with a fully wooden load-bearing structure. It shows the possibilities of wood as a cutting-edge construction material in a recognizable main supporting structure for a pleasant and healthy building that is experienced both on an urban scale as from within. The new Entrance Building with wooden load-bearing structure makes the sustainability ambitions visible and provides a robust structure for the flexible interior. The limits of construction in wood have been explored, making this an exemplary project for, among other things, the further development of (globally used) structural engineering software. Due to the mass in the concrete floors of the building, the heat accumulation capacity can be utilized despite the light main load-bearing structure. The floors keep the building at a consistent temperature with underfloor heating. With hybrid climate ceilings the various room temperatures can be adjusted to the needs of individual users. This entire low-temperature system is fed from air-water heat pumps, integrated solar panels and is prepared to connect to a future district heating network. Thanks to this low-tech system and integrated external solar screens, it was possible to design a glass facade making the wooden structure fully visible to its surroundings. A zero-energy building, comfortable and with low impact to the environment and climate.
This new sustainable educational building is an example for the possibilities of conscious, sustainable and circular use of materials, with visible installations, technology and connections, healthy, zero-energy-use, a modular and flexible building that can respond to the changes of ever changing education.
The efficiency in construction and budget use of the complete wooden main support structure combined with standardized concrete channel plates makes for a repeatable engineered solution for other buildings. Building on a larger scale constructed with wood on a modular base with bigger spans around 8m resulting in highly flexible buildings suitable for (educational) space.
To use the building as a learning tool and making future generations more conscious about material use, possibilities of sustainability, energy-use and reduction is important and a necessity if we want to live, learn, work, develop in a maintainable manner. To design and realize this project which sets an example, shows the possibilities and, none the less, the fun of sustainable design. We can inspire and motivate future generations of builders, engineers and occupants. Sharing this knowledge in case of the Koning Willem I College by QR-codes throughout the building, design drawings, models, information of solutions and workings is vital to infuse people with the possibilities and sets the bar for further advances. We would therefor encourage a replica or an even better version of the building very much.
This project started out with the briefing of the client setting the best example and showcasing sustainability for their current and future students. As a smaller architectural firm in The Netherlands we embraced this call and added our ambition to the project by proposing to design a 5-storey building with a complete wooden main support structure and develop not only an educational building but also a building that educates in itself. Making the building really part of the learning environment. A conscious and responsible building that tries to set an example for new generations of students. A cutting-edge design that shows the possibilities of circular material use, with maximum flexibility and adaptability, a building to learn in and to learn from.
We started drawing up a master plan in 2017 to ensure coherence in future expansions. Starting point was the continuation of the 8x8m grid of the existing complex. A size that has proven itself over time, suitable and flexible for education. By creating atria and inner streets, a new inner world has been created that reverses the closed corridor school. Existing building parts were given a new address to this structure and meeting between students is stimulated.
The Entrance Building is the first extension within the master plan marking a clear address for the KW1C on the Education Boulevard. The client had the existing square in mind for this for the building. However, by positioning the new building between the existing complex and the square, the Entrance Building leaves room for the public space of the city and the forecourt creates a beautiful introduction to the entire complex.
Thanks to strategic choices and detailed elaboration, the new building is an exemplary project, with generous dimensions for education, a high degree of flexibility, high comfort and a fully wooden main supporting structure, realized within planning and (regular education) budget. We are very proud of that.
Our build environment has a huge impact on our planet and climate. Around 39% of global greenhouse gasses are a direct result of our build environment. If we want to limit the temperature rise world wide to 1,5 degree we have to limit our overall CO2 emission to 400GT. Building materials is accountable for 11% of our national emission of CO2 of which concrete and steel use are the main contributors. By replacing more of this material with wood we are not only replacing the material with a renewable sources, not scouring out planet, but also use our buildings as CO2 deposits to contain large quantities of CO2 emission. This will help setting the overall goal of reducing the warming up of our planet. With the further material use as circular as possible, making flexible buildings on modular components we can reduce the loss of value of material, reduce waste, an extend the longevity of our buildings and materials we use to build them.
But the biggest result can be booked by educating the 4500 students which use the building on a daily basis. By using the Entrance Building, the students are in close contact with a sustainable and renewable build environment. We have the hope and expectation that they will embrace building in wood and make it into their new standard.
The building has become a professional learning environment for technology students, where the learning process is optimally promoted and curiosity, creativity and research are stimulated. With the new atrium and inner street, the Entrance Building is connected to the existing building. This provides space for students to meet, self-study areas and space for special events. In addition to realizing an inspiring educational building, we have set ourselves an additional goal: to create an 'educational' building for the technology students who are taught here. This has already proven itself in practice.
"We've been in the building for half a school year now and everyone is wildly enthusiastic. If I want to explain something to the class about spatiality and structures, I say: look around you! It couldn't be better.”
Manon, drawing teacher
From the outside, the various teaching rooms, stairs and interior elements are clearly visible. The building reads as an open book and by doing so really interacts with its users. Combined with the warmth of the wood, the technology and the movement of people, the new Entrance Building from the Education Boulevard is experienced as an exciting and vibrant environment, where students receive the best technology education every day.
Educators are equipped with a building to experience first hand the implementation of sustainable material use with a legible wooden main structure including all exposed technical installation to directly integrate teaching and learning with hands-on experience. The main technical room in the entrance hall with a glass front showcases the inner workings of the building. Further insight is enhanced by QR-codes throughout the building which give access and unlock design drawings, 3d models, constructional information and design considerations on different parts of the building, ranging from the steel connections within the wood construction, to the purpose of elements in the main staircases. On the few fixed closed walls in the building, section drawings are projected to give insight to students of workings behind these walls.
The transparent facades, introduction of green roofs and green landscape design pulled into the campus gives a closer connection to the students with their surroundings.
During the design and construction phase students were involved in different stages. Within the interior design we left two deliberate blank spots on every floor to be filled in by students. This resulted in a family of ‘specials’, bespoke furniture pieces for informal talks, seating, exposition, green, and so on. They were realized as part of competition results in drawing classes, design courses, graduation works in design and carpentry and as hands on experience through internships. We also strongly believe that by designing high quality spaces and valued material use, awareness and responsibility for our buildings and the surroundings is raised. As we see proven with the current perfect state of the building interior and exterior (including outside columns not having any mark or tag from graffiti) after its first year of extensive use. By setting an example the bar is raised on the possibilities and expectations of the young technical professionals being taught here.
