Firm： Broekbakema

Type： Commercial › Office Educational › Auditorium University Landscape + Planning › Masterplan

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2010

SIZE： 10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

Photos： Menno Emmink (1)

Cathedral for education of the future

Circulation of knowledge through meeting, students from different faculties inspiring each other and working together, a building that is sustainable, transparent and spacious, which is illustrating current issues in education and at the same time feels as a safe place. All these goals come together in the new educational building: Gebouw X.

In Gebouw X, with its many visual relations and meeting points, the circulation of knowledge is almost literally tangible. The building consists of two wings that are connected by a central atrium. The wings are shifted in height and are connected by walkways through the atrium. This split level structure emphasizes the accessibility and connection between the two parts of the building. The spacious central atrium allows several ways of meeting and is visually connected to all floors. Sunlight enters the building and, combined with the glass inner walls, creates a light and transparent interior.

Within the building, each different function clearly has its own place. During the years the building should be able to grow according to the educational ambitions and the diversity in educational methods of Windesheim.

The building is now mainly suitable for educational use, but can also be transformed into an office building. The fixed elements in the building form the basis on which adaptable, temporary elements create a more specific layout and atmosphere. The future-proof construction with its large spans provides endless possibilities for transforming the floor plans.