A road in the sky: Creating a sense of community and place

At one end, the new school building reaches down to the ground; at the other, it rises up into the air like the loose end of a ribbon fluttering in the wind. The prism-shaped free tip of the ribbon creates a shaded ground level area that serves as an outdoor theater. At the other end, the sloping green roof reaches down to the school entrance. Inside, a large airy atrium welcomes visitors. On one side, the vertical distribution system, on the other, a corridor leading to the ground floor sections, including multifunctional and special-needs classrooms. A system of corridors connects the various spaces, creating a walkway through the whole building, widening out at intervals to form a series of different sized open public “squares” where pupils can congregate and socialize freely. Large glazed windows in large timber frames help give a sense of orientation, linking the classrooms proper with the public corridor space. The variety of type and size of the teaching areas and the bold colors along the circulation paths help give the school a relaxed friendly atmosphere. Symmetry has here given way to diversity, repetition to surprise, and rigidity to playfulness. The result is a place of creativity and imagination. With a surface area of 2,600 sq. m, this horizontally developed prism-shaped building provides for all the educational, recreational and staff requirements of a primary school. Several strategies have been adopted to blend the new building with the surrounding landscape. First of all, its size. Massing is proportional to the standard plots of the little...