mecanoo architecten: noorderpoort college in stadskanaal

'noorderpoort college in stadskanaal ' by mecanoo architecten, stadskanaal, the netherlands
images courtesy of mecanoo architecten


dutch practice mecanoo architecten has won a competition to design 'noorderpoort college', a community college
in stadskanaal, the netherlands. the structure, sited next to prominent wetland, is set to break ground in 2012,
with construction scheduled for completion in 2014.



atrium


comprised of educational and corporate facilities, the school aims to provide students with a holistic understanding
of their field based on an integrated approach of theory and practice.



workshop


upon entrance students, workers and visitors are welcomed into a central atrium, where a cross-pollination between
the departments and programs is most evident. acting as a gateway to each adjacent environment,  the multi-storey
space functions as an important gathering zone for the 1,300 engineering, health care and service sector students,
and corporate employees. 



entrance


large windows connect the individual classrooms and workshops to the vast lobby, generating a larger sense of
transparency and community within the college. sunlight filters through the layers of glass panels, filling the corridors
and communal space with natural illumination.



in context