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OBS de Kersenboom
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architecture
interior
education
1/4
location
Diemen
client
Gemeente Diemen
project team
Maarten Sanders, Kitty Luiken & Ernst-Jan Schoute
photography
Thea van den Heuvel (DAPh)
completion
2018
space to grow
The new building for IKC De Kersenboom provides new accommodation for the school board, the school, the out-of-school care and the day care center. These future users had a clear common vision: ‘care and education should flow into each other as much as possible’.
This was translated into a clever spatial organization of the new building. There are no corridors, but a series of communal spaces for functions for all user groups. In the center of the building are all common facilities, distributed over the different floors. The connecting element is the auditorium that connects facilities such as technology, drama, playroom and (children's) kitchen over several floors.
With IKC De Kersenboom, we created a place where children can grow, discover and learn together. OIII architects designed an integral child center where education and care naturally flow into one another. Elementary school, daycare, out-of-school care and school administration share one building and one vision.
an open structure without corridors
We designed an open and clear spatial structure without traditional corridors. Instead, we placed a series of shared spaces centrally in the building. The auditorium forms the heart: a high, light space that connects multiple floors and offers space for a playroom, drama, technology, and kitchen facilities. This creates a dynamic learning environment in which interaction is central.
The entrance on the schoolyard is on the first floor. This connects all floors to the outdoor space. Wide staircases and terraces ensure a smooth transition between inside and outside—movement, light, and contact with the outdoors can be felt everywhere.
The friendly design, inspired by farmhouse typology, fits in with the rural character of the surroundings. By keeping the building compact, there is plenty of space left for play. This makes the new school feel familiar and spacious – a safe and inviting place for children, parents, and staff.
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