Drie Koningenschool

new construction of primary school
 

The new home of the Driekoningen primary school emphasizes the importance of light, air, and space. The design embraces the tradition of the open-air schools that were widely built in the Netherlands in the 1920s and 1930s. The layout is efficient and compact. By limiting the overall building size, budget was freed up to invest in key qualities such as indoor climate and user experience. Each classroom has a fully operable façade, allowing for outdoor teaching whenever desired.
 

Driekoningen offers traditional classroom-based education but places great importance on fostering independence and addressing the individual needs of students. The spatial layout reflects this by combining generously sized classrooms with a shared central area that supports a wide range of additional uses. By designing a “spatial surplus” at the heart of the compact volume, the central area becomes more than just a circulation space. Its design accommodates various alternative teaching and working settings. This spatial connection fosters strong interaction between the classrooms and the communal area.

A wide central staircase connects the different levels, supporting the school’s vision of a c
lose-knit community in which younger and older children engage in shared activities and regularly encounter one another.

What truly sets this school apart is the way it connects with the outdoors. All classrooms can be opened up and have direct access to their own private outdoor space.