designboom's top ten most viewed educational facilities of 2011

this year’s 2011 top ten most viewed educational facilities is a collection of buildings ranging from institutions for learning, to facilities for networking, to areas for expressing and sharing ideas. as our ability to gather information at rapid speed doesn’t show signs of slowing down these structures reflect the contemplative need for spaces that are separated from the digital world and are situated in natural surroundings. long gone are ‘box-like’ structures typical to most urban towns, these buildings showcase the inventive nature that schools and places of instruction can have on the local community.

1. ‘liyuan library’ by li xiaodong atelier

set two hours away from the urban center of beijing, surrounded by the mountains and forested landscape, the fully glazed interior contains quiet and contemplative reading spaces which are also integrated into shelving platforms for books.

huairou, china image courtesy of li xiaodong atelier

2. ‘anzas dance studio’ by yoshimasa tsutsumi

the application of a gradient of dots to the room’s mirrored surface alters the atmosphere creating a dramatic fog effect. the design aims to bring focus to the floor as it emerges from the space blurring the depth and boundary of the studio.

beijing, china photographer: misae hiromatsu / beijing ruijing photo co., ltd

3. ‘kindergarten guntramsdorf’ by goya

nestled within a grove of chestnut trees, this school provides the students with a continual connection to nature, both visually and physically. the classrooms are separated into a series of smaller units which are arranged around the central foyer to maintain and compliment the small human scale of the children.

guntramsdorf. austria image © kurt hoerbst

4. ‘penleigh and essendon grammar school’ by mcbride charles ryan

the design features a silhouette of a typical australian heritage home referencing the local structure’s typology of the site as the two-story facility is located adjacent to a residential street.

victoria, australia image courtesy of mcbride charles ryan

5. ‘milstein hall’ by OMA

the first new building for the cornell university of architecture, art and planning (AAP) is a 14,000 m2 educational complex that connects the original fragmented area with an elevated horizontal plan surfaced in floor-to-ceiling glass.

new york, USA image © william staffield

6. ‘josephine baker school’ by dominique coulon & associés

occupying a trapezoidal plot of land, linked by a system of ramps and stairways, the interconnected volumes produce an organic and integrated organization of spaces that separates the primary and nursery classrooms.

la courneuve, franceimage © olivier nicollas photographe

7. ‘new stuttgart library’ by yi architects

as part of the master development plan for the european quarter in stuttgart, germany, this cubic facility was influenced by the structure and organization of the ancient pantheon. the design features an interior core which serves as a central, multi-storey meeting space that draws in natural light from the ceiling above.

stuttgart, germany image courtesy of yi architects

8. ‘fagerborg kindergarten’ by reiulf ramstad architects

composed of three distinct and asymmetrical volumes, the unit features heavy, geometric masses that are juxtaposed against its mid-19th century surroundings. located in a small city park in central oslo, norway, the design features are kept low to abide by the local bylaws of its residential neighborhood.

oslo, norway image courtesy of reiulf ramstad architects

9. ‘BMW guggenheim lab’ by atelier bow-wow

created as a performing platform for discussion, exploration and exchange, this pavilion is part of a 6-year event aimed at developing new ideas for urban living. inserted into a narrow plot, the mobile construction is covered in a mesh-like skin with the ground level left entirely open.

new york city, USA image © solomon r. guggenheim foundation, paul warcol

10. ‘inariyama special education school’ by AKA

conceived as ‘town’-like architecture, this 15,000m2 educational facility is composed of multiple buildings to stimulate activities for both children and the community. utilizing traditional japanese wood construction techniques, the school is almost entirely made of lumber from the nagano prefecture making it a major design feature in the interior space.

nagano, japan image © hiroyuki kurashima