IJburg College 2
IJburg College 2
IJburg College 2
A golden facade for a new educational concept
A compact but spacious building
IJburg College 2 is the extension of a secondary school with its headquarters in IJburg, but is itself located on the nearby Zeeburger Island. The new location is surrounded by greenery and water, on a plot on the edge of the neighborhood. The task here was to give a large program a place in a limited space. That is why we designed a compact building, where a split level ensures that there is still enough space in the tight building volume; at the same time, the split level also provides a stronger spatial relationship between the various functions, so that we were able to turn a disadvantage into an advantage.
Personalised learning on a human scale
The spatial concept was developed based on the school's educational vision: Personalized Learning in small-scale sub-schools. The school is set up in zones of learning activity: the spatial division ranges from places with a lot of dynamism to places for activities that require a lot of rest.
A staircase system as a carrier for education
The school's motto is “learning in a learning community”. This means that everyone participates in each other's development and in the development of the school. At the center of the new building is a void for light, air and spaciousness. There is a system of stairs in this loft that ensures that different parts of the school are connected and users can meet each other. There are both all sub-schools and all practice rooms around this loft, creating a well-organized school.
A High Tech Look and Feel
The building has a social function in the neighborhood and has therefore been given a special appearance. The gold anodized aluminum cladding is a striking and harmonious appearance in the otherwise stony environment. Depending on the perspective, the aluminum cassettes provide a true play of light. “The building has become a landmark in the neighborhood and a landmark building in educational Amsterdam,” says client Nico Moen.
Customized participation and sketch design
The sounding board sessions that were held even before the assignment with the students, parents, experts and the selection committee resulted in a customized sketch design; an innovative way of tendering, where the client really put time and effort into finding a good partner. This way of working ensured that not price but quality is the deciding factor, something that translates into the quality and sustainability — IJburg College 2 is BENG — of the new school building.
