Community College Noord

Amsterdam

More information

We increasingly consider education a part of everyday life. Especially in the new knowledge economy. Instead of spatially isolating educational functions, there is more demand for social activity and integration. For this reason, we designed “Community College Noord”.

Design of the community college

The design of a community college involves designing a multifunctional and sustainable program. A program that transforms the school building into a new urban function. One that closely involves the community. What makes the MBO College Noord unique is its combination of two schools in a single building. The Bredero MAVO (pre-vocational secondary education) and the ROC van Amsterdam (a regional training centre providing senior secondary vocational education).

The MBO Community College Noord is located at an urbanly complex and highly challenging site.  Within the ‘new’ city centre of Amsterdam Noord. It is partially under the elevated station of the Noord-Zuid metro line.

A major focus of the school’s educational concept is ‘the school building as career centre’. By means of a double helix shape as a circulation model, we increase the rate at which pupils in pre-vocational secondary education transfer on to senior secondary vocational education. Both schools are only partially separated and visually connected.

By dividing the educational complex into four separate buildings, the building is perceived as being small-scale. Each building also has its own expressive quality. On top of that, they have their own entrances within which the Bredero College and the ROCvA. The academic program is provided on the ground and first floors.

As a three-dimensional passage, the design achieves two goals. Firstly, each main user has its own street address. Secondly, Each user can simultaneously make use of the interior’s shared facilities. For example, a restaurant, a multimedia centre, a library, multifunctional gyms and other support functions.

For more information about the educational programme click here.