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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Extension of Farelcollege in Ridderkerk, Netherlands by KCAP Architects&PlannersNovember 28th, 2014 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: KCAP Architects&Planners The extension of Farelcollege in Ridderkerk designed by KCAP Architects&Planners has been officially opened last week. The new building for general secondary education has already been in use since last September. Providing 1,700 m2 over three floors, the school accommodates 400 students within 12 classrooms with an additional flexible classroom on the ground floor. The dramatic entrance creates a new main entry for the college.  Image Courtesy © Ossip van Duivenbode
 Image Courtesy © Ossip van Duivenbode Farelcollege clusters various education levels – pre-vocational, general and higher secondary and pre-university education. The branches are spread over several locations throughout Ridderkerk. With the expansion of this particular location, the ambition is to house all 1800 students in one location. The architectural concept also allows for further expansion in the future.  Image Courtesy © Ossip van Duivenbode The location already contained two buildings: the main building with gym built in 1989 and another expansion from 1997. The new building floats with its top storey over the existing gym. “With this ‘bridge’ the new building encloses the outdoor space and creates a seven meter high canopy as a fantastic new entrance for the entire school,” explains Irma van Oort, architect and partner of KCAP. “The central courtyard to which all buildings are oriented, creates the new heart of the Farelcollege.”  Image Courtesy © Ossip van Duivenbode This connection creates coherence between the different buildings, while each volume maintains their own character within the ensemble. “The concept pursues the campus principle and gives physical expression to the educational vision of Farelcollege which defines core values such as small-scale and identity,” says Irma van Oort.  Image Courtesy © Ossip van Duivenbode Within the ensemble, the facade of the expansion has a unique and warm appearance with its subtly nuanced brick pattern and bronze-coloured aluminium windows. “Colour and texture of the facade support the connection to the existing buildings, but also provide clear distinction of the different school departments,” says Irma van Oort. In the interior, the use of green as corporate colour enables identification with the general secondary education. In contrast, orange and blue are the colours of the other buildings and branches. The central staircase and the open and flexible spaces in the wide corridors between the classrooms provide for transparency, orientation and create differentiated spaces for social interaction.  Image Courtesy © KCAP Architects&Planners  Image Courtesy © KCAP Architects&Planners  Image Courtesy © KCAP Architects&Planners  Image Courtesy © KCAP Architects&Planners
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Tags: Netherlands, Ridderkerk |
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