Cornelis Vrijschool
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Cornelis Vrijschool for primary education was built on the corner of a perimeter block in Amsterdam South. The school has a rich educational tradition based on the principles of Head, Heart and Hands, meaning diverse cultural classes are part of its curriculum. Due to the building’s deteriorating state, HofmanDujardin was invited to design a new school building on the same site.
A long history of smaller renovations and additions to the original building had transformed the school into a labyrinth plagued with uneven levels and unclear routing. The traditional classroom layout did not fully support the desired educational concept. To remedy this, it was decided to create a new school within the boundaries of the original façades.
Large new façade openings were designed to create a novel entrance and a new face for the school. A new steel structure provided the opportunity to completely change the school’s layout and develop a made-to-measure plan that fully complied with the Cornelis Vrijschool’s identity.
A multi-colored routing
The renovation resulted in a new clear layout with inspiring routing. Starting at the new entrance, a multi-colored staircase connects all four floors. Both inward and outward, the school expresses its creative identity through the music and dance room, workshop space and library, which are placed on the corner of the building. While moving through the school, pupils can see each other singing, dancing, drawing and crafting through the extended wooden display element along the staircase. The architecture and interior elements form a strong unity. A natural color palette and continuous lines set a solid canvas for creativity and concentration.
Colophon
Project
Cornelis Vrijschool
Description
Renovation and interior design of an historic Amsterdam school
Client
Cornelis Vrijschool
Location
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Surface
1600m²
Period
2018-2021
Services
Renovation, Architecture Interventions and Interior Design
Team
Barbara Dujardin, Michiel Hofman, Fabian van den Bosch, Willem Wopereis and Shuyan Lin
Project management
DeStock
Advisor construction
Strackee
Advisor Installations
Buro Loo
Contractor
Versteeg Utrecht
