The College O.- L.-V. den Doorn is an unusually large school in the small town of Eeklo in West Flanders, which has junior, middle and upper schools, both vocational and academic.
The design is the result of a well-run competitive process between four architect-led teams from the programme framework. vHH teamed up with SMAK Arkitects to submit a dossier for the ‘Scholen van Morgen’ framework, and won this competition with them in 2012.
Our competition-winning proposal took an urban design and landscape approach, and we combined the new build facilities to create a new arrival square facing the town, and a generous new quad in the heart of the former vocational schools. The sports hall is lifted to create the entrance portal to the school, with the open learning areas below, that can also be used by the local community. At the other end of the site extensive landscape works creates dedicated arrival spaces and parking that enhance the heavily refurbished building for the Middle School. The landscape works increase the connections between all parts of the campus, transforming the schools external routes and spaces.
Client: College O.- L.-V. den Doorn
Start on site: November 2015
Completion: June 2017
Gross internal floor area: 4,593m²
Form of contract or procurement route: Schools of Tomorrow programme
Construction cost: €6.72 million (including landscape and FFE)
Construction cost per m2: €1473 (including landscape and FFE)
The school have produced a film about the new building which gives a feel of the life of the project post-construction https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9buyI374_l8