Community school "de Zilverberk" in Halle
The community school “deZilverberk” in Halle (B) is a winning entry (2007) for the “Open Oproep”, organized by the Flemish Government Architect.
Comprehensive commission for a study for constructing a new building for the ‘Zilverberk’ primary school in Halle. The site, which borders on 2 streets, contained a flourishing primary school. Previously the school had 2 permanent buildings and a number of temporary classrooms and rented container classrooms. The intention was to replace the temporary structures with a permanent new construction. The project includes classrooms and a multipurpose space for the primary school, with a total surface area of 2.301 m².
Research questions.
The specific conducted research and questioning relates to
1) To investigate the correlation between open space, hierarchically ordered space and social space.
2) How can architecture strengthen and provide an openness to the public society on the one hand and provide a social safe place for its users (school children) on the other?
3) How is human size and scale perceived in a children’s world?
4) How can we build "an intelligent ruin"; the making of an intelligent, structural framework allowing for various use, and adaptable to changing needs in the future? (= oeuvre research-quest in the work of awg architecten)
Impact.
The study and the project have been consulted on different forums. There are several websites that have published the project.
The project has also been published in the Flemish Yearbook Architecture of the year 2016, as an “example project” in its discipline (Architectuurboek Vlaanderen n°12, Architectuur op maat (Tailored Architecture), VAi Publishers, Antwerp (B) 2016, ISBN 9789082122565, p. 63-74).
A model and product sheets are made of the building. Product sheets (pdf's) are available/downloadable through the website of the Flemisch Government Architect and the Vai. A project bundle is available, including texts, plans, diagrams, photographs, 3D simulations.
Students of different architecture institutes in Belgium have included the project in their studies as a reference (o.a. University of Liège, University of Antwerp,…). The project has been selected as example in its discipline (“schoolvoorbeelden”) by
* the Flemish Architecture institute (VAi),
* the Flemish Government Architect and
* the AGION (Agency for Infrastructure in Education).