Construction Agreement Signed For IKC+ Katwijk
The construction of the integrated child centre (Integraal Kindcentrum or IKC+) in Katwijk, designed by De Zwarte Hond, is a step closer. On Thursday 21 April 2022, the client and contractor Blanksma Groep signed the construction agreement for the new centre on Van Lierestraat in Katwijk.
The new IKC+ (the plus stands for sports facilities) will house the public primary school De Krulder (for OBODB, the Duin and Bollenstreek foundation for public primary education) and the De Windvang school for special primary education (for the Aloysius foundation). Other childcare (KOK Kinderopvang), youth care (Cardea Jeugdzorg) and sports (Sportbedrijf Katwijk) facilities will also use the building.
Alderman Jacco Knape can’t wait for the arrival of the IKC+: “The IKC+ will be a unique location for children aged 0 to 13 years old,” he says. “Due to this collaboration between primary education, youth care, childcare and sports, more support is possible for the children. It’s good to see that so many Katwijk actors are working together to really be there for our youngsters.”
Flexible and resilient
The building is flexible in design and supports further expansion of the school programme. For example, the load-bearing structure takes account of any future extension on top of the roof. The classrooms are light, uniformly designed and connected to each other by means of a long, central hall, which also contains multifunctional learning plazas. In these dynamic, playful spaces, students from the different schools can meet each other.
With its distinctive mountain range-like profile, a raised roof extends over the entire length of the building. Through the roof, an abundance of daylight enters the hall. The hall allows for easy orientation: at the beginning is the entrance and at the end the large sports hall. The plinth of the child centre is an active part of the outdoor space. The sand-coloured façade, clad in large bricks, has deep recesses and high windows, where the children can sit and hide.
Energy neutral
In addition to education and sports facilities, the IKC+ will have a modern and sustainable heating and cooling regulation system (part of Warmtenet Kalkoven). It will be the first energy-neutral building in Katwijk with cooling and heating pumps. The installation will be large enough to supply the entire building – and the entire Kalkoven district – with heating or cooling.
Construction will begin shortly. Demolition of the old gymnasium and the old De Windvang building is expected to start at the end of April or beginning of May 2022. If everything goes according to plan, the new IKC+ building will be ready for use in the summer of 2023.
