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