The old location of the school, being on the edge of the village centre was exchanged for a new building in a unique location in the centre of Opitter, under the church tower, close to the village squares and around the meeting centre. On top of that, the new spot is surrounded by nature and close to a nature reserve.
The school is placed adjacent to an existing meeting centre which poses great advantages. Therefore, its library, meeting rooms, multipurpose room, and other assets connect to the school and can be shared.
A simple scheme has been developed for the new primary school consisting of 4 nursery classes and 9 primary classes. The concept is based on the idea to minimise monofunctional space and instead maximise spaces in which functions can be shared and even overlapped. For example, the corridor widens, thus becoming more than just a place where pupils pass. It rather evolves into a place of meeting and exchange or retreat, looking out at the shell-shaped playground.
Furthermore, all functions are linked by a funnel-shaped multi-purpose room that widens towards the entrance and exit. This way of designing offers a sustainable approach as the building can be easily adapted by simply switching, adding, or reducing functions instead of having major interventions into the structure.
Also the use of materials emphasises the neutrality of spaces. The choices are mainly inspired by the adjacent park and nature reserve resulting in a palette of neutral colours, untreated cedar wood, exposed concrete, and sand-lime brick walls. Emphasis was also placed on inviting plenty of light into the building by using large areas of glass. Thoughtful placement of windows frames beautifully the immediate green surroundings. The choice of materials and light sources create a calm environment in which students can thrive.