Wim Meers

The project involves a secondary school in Beringen, situated within an unused zone of the urban fabric. Within the concept the urban area is divided into four parallel strips. From west to east, these are the landscape park, the school strip, the recreational park and the living area. The school strip was conceived as an urban ribbon that should encourage movement across the field. The interaction with the present parks ensures that the new site and the existing city can connect.

The school strip itself is approached from different sight angles. They cut the long strip into different clusters and ensure that the two parks are connected. On the second level, a large passageway is created on which the playground is situated. This plane ensures control, an essential element within the school.

The various clusters are expanded in a vertical way which creates different views on/towards the environment. Mass is cut out of these massive volumes so that the playground runs under the buildings, giving each volume its own shape. Within each cluster the practical premises are located on the first two levels and the theoretical premises on the upper levels. In this way the playground gets the function of meeting place where theory and practice come together. This provides an optimal exchange of views and avoids a stamp being put on young people from different educational levels.

Each cluster is understood as an open, free space that can freely be filled according to the varying needs of the school. Many interior walls are flexible so the classes can be opened and the boundaries between the classes and the open work spaces can fade. Openness generates encounters.

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