Photo: Eva Bloem

A new, flexible and sustainable school building for Het Element

The new school building for Het Element combines two pre-vocational secondary schools, three sports halls, a dojo and a language centre. By choosing a compact volume, we create extra green outdoor space, short walking distances and a vibrant central heart to which all the different clusters are connected.

Creating a healthy, safe and green learning environment was also a challenge given the location of the new building in the middle of an industrial and stony area. Says architect and partner Bart van Kampen: “We stood out because we focused on the connection with the neighbourhood. We immediately saw the potential of the green field on Kaliumweg, which is used for events and emergencies. The field in front of Het Element has now been transformed into a front garden, while we have also greened the sides and the back. We have also started to make the Isselt neighbourhood in Amersfoort ‘climate-proof’.”

A compact building with a friendly atmosphere
With 12,000 m² for approximately 1,000 students, Het Element is a school on a large scale. We designed the building with the human scale in mind, with short corridors and a vibrant central heart to which the various clusters of clubhouses are attached. Each clubhouse has a unique identity with its own colour palette and interior. Lots of daylight enters the central heart through the roof, making it feel like a courtyard with all the clubhouses around it.

The building is designed with a generic column grid as the basis, allowing flexibility for future adaptations. The façade, with brick mosaics depicting various trades, refers to the practical training offered here. On the inside, the roof is finished in timber, with light coming through the saw-tooth roofs, referring to the industrial environment and also the type of education offered here.

Bart goes on to explain the design: “It’s a sustainable building because it is compact, with low transmission loss and easy to maintain. We used brick for the façade and wood inside, which makes it warm and cosy. The materials and details used, such as concrete and aluminium frames, will last a long time. The roof is also full of solar panels.”

Built for the long term
Sustainability is, of course, about using less energy and using materials wisely. But nothing is more sustainable than using a building for as long as possible. That is why Het Element has a flexible shell, so that it can be used in a different way in the future. “Our vision is never to demolish again,” says Bart. “In the case of Het Element, this means that we have created a building that is adaptable and can also be used later as a commercial, healthcare or residential building.”