BIG breaks ground on faroe islands education center

construction has started on the new education center in torshavn, the faroe islands designed by BIG. the new building will house three educational institutions under one roof. housing more than 1,200 students and 300 teachers the center is the largest educational building project in the country’s history, combining faroe islands gymnasium, torshavns technical college and business college of faroe islands in one building.

render of the faroe islands education center by BIG architects
main image © kári mikkelsen/landsverk

integrating the dramatically sloped landscape, the project is designed as a vortex, radiating out toward the surrounding environment while at the same time focusing inward on the school’s inner landscape for learning. the three schools under one roof create the synergetic effect of a vertical campus where at the school’s heart an open rotunda space creates a natural gathering point across floor levels and academic interests. as a functional sculpture formed by the schools internal needs the abundant surroundings of the torshavn landscape provide a unique opportunity to shape the school from the inside out.

image © kári mikkelsen/landsverk 

finn nørkjær with bjarke ingels
image © kári mikkelsen/landsverk

view of the outskirts of torshavn, where the education center will be built
image © kári mikkelsen/landsverk

render of the faroe islands education center by BIG

model

program diagram 

interior renders

more images and information on this project can be found here.

project info:

name: faroe islands education center
client: mentamalaradid (ministry of culture) / landsverk
collaborators: fuglark, lemming & eriksson, samal johannesen, martin e. leo sp/f, kj elrad radgevandi verkfroedingar
size: 19,200 m2
partner‐in‐charge: bjarke ingels
project leader: finn nørkjær
project architect: ole elkjaer larsen
team: johan cool, ji-young yoon, alessio valmori, alexandre carpentier, armen menendian, baptiste blot, camille crepin, christian alvarez, claudio moretti, daniel pihl, david zahle, edouard boisse, elisha nathoo, enea michelesio, eskild nordbud, ewelina moszczynska, finn nørkjær, frederik lyng, gaetan brunet, goda luksaite, jakob lange, jakob teglgård hansen, jan besikov, jan kudlicka, johan cool, kari-ann petersen, krista meskanen, laura youf, long zuo, martin cajade, mikkel marcker stubgaard, niklas rausch, oana simionescu, ole elkjær-larsen, richard howis, takumi iwasawa, tiago sá, tobias hjortdal, xiao xuan lu.