Hagelstein

Client: vzw Verenigde Scholen Ursulinen & Hagelstein
Location: Sint-Katelijne-Waver
Realization: 2008 – 2012
Design team: David Driesen, Tom Verschueren, Valerie Lonnoy, Sofie Buggenhout, Michaël De Roeck
Structural engineer: Util struktuurstudies
Engineer Techniques: Tecon
Photography: Bart Gosselin, Marcel Van Coile
Size: 300 m²
Publications


For the expansion of the kindergarten, the characteristic rural location with its meadows is reflected in the design. The history of the morphology of the school buildings is one of building and adding more buildings. There is no uniformity, but diversity. In response to this patchwork of buildings, the design of the two nursery classes, opts for a sequentially expandable volume. The sleek basic volume refers to both ‘culture’ and the pedagogical discipline and the lob shaped canopy refer to the surrounding ‘nature’ and the exterior freedom. Every class has its own organically designed terrace of which the aesthetics are followed through in the canopy that partially covers the communal playground. In this way the focus is on the intertwinning between nature and culture.

A special feature of this project is the interaction with the campus morphology. The renovation of the college (earlier phase) fits in with the historical context of the monastery site, while the expansion of the kindergarten connects more with the rural location of the school. More than just offering an answer to the demand for the capacity expansion, the contemporary interventions are offering a structure on which further developments can be established.

A special feature of this project is the interaction with the campus morphology. The renovation of the college (earlier phase) fits in with the historical context of the monastery site, while the expansion of the kindergarten connects more with the rural location of the school. More than just offering an answer to the demand for the capacity expansion, the contemporary interventions are offering a structure on which further developments can be established.