The firm of Danish architect Bjarke Ingels, BIG, recently completed a 15,069-sf high school expansion just north of Copenhagen—Ingels’ alma mater.
Composed of two stories, the cultural activities building sprang up between Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium's football field and a recently complete multipurpose hall, which was also designed by BIG. The new arts building connects with the school’s existing educational facilities in one continuous flow.
“My high school, formerly introverted and dispersed, has become open and integrated through two focused interventions,” Ingels said in a release. “Even though each phase is autonomous and complete, their introduction into the mix has completely reconfigured the sum of the parts. Like a catalyst or an enzyme, once inserted, all the surrounding substance transforms into something completely new.”
From the architect:
The roof of the new arts building extends the school’s existing football fields into a green carpet for informal activity, serving as informal seating overlooking sports events. Image by Rasmus Hjotshoj
Construction materials and finishes familiar from the multipurpose hall are integrated in reverse. Where the sports hall is made of concrete with wooden finishes above and below ground, the classrooms are the opposite: wooden walls span the length of the building, complimented by concrete ceilings and floors. This continuity and repetition of materials creates a coherent visual identity for the school. Photo: Jens Lindhe
Image: Iwan Baan
Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj
Image: Rasmus Hjortshoj
Image: Jens Lindhe
Related Stories
K-12 Schools | Aug 9, 2017
A school in Denmark is clad in 12,000 solar panels
C.F. Møller designed the building to create a connection between the school premises and the surrounding public urban space.
K-12 Schools | Aug 1, 2017
This new high school is the first to be built on a tech company’s campus
Design Tech High School, located on Oracle Corporation’s Headquarters campus, will span 64,000 sf across two stories and have a capacity of 550 students.
Education Facilities | Jul 14, 2017
Youth education center in Baltimore gets first students
Students learn environmental skills, natural resource management, urban agriculture, and water quality monitoring.
Great Solutions | Jul 12, 2017
The writing on the wall: Maker spaces encourage students to take an active role
Maker spaces, dry-erase walls, and flexible furniture highlight Kinkaid’s new Learning Center.
Building Team Awards | Jun 7, 2017
Rebuilding to heal: Sandy Hook Elementary School
Gold Award: Community involvement was paramount as Newtown, Conn., replaced the school where a mass shooting occurred.
K-12 Schools | Jun 5, 2017
PK-8 school will be Denver’s first CHPS-certified building
A “learning stair” will connect the cafeteria to the main level.
K-12 Schools | May 31, 2017
NAC Architecture rolls out ‘Hack Your Classroom’ campaign
In collaboration with room2learn, NAC launched a campaign aimed at crowd-sourcing information on what teachers are doing in their classroom to improve the learning experience.
K-12 Schools | May 16, 2017
The future of schools: Net zero should be the norm
Students are helping drive change by focusing on the future.
K-12 Schools | May 1, 2017
Seattle’s first vertically-oriented middle school breaks ground
The building will provide 74,289 sf of space across its five-story classroom bar.
K-12 Schools | Apr 21, 2017
The stadium effect
School districts that invested in their athletic facilities over the last few years have seen a tremendous increase in student morale and health, growth in campus culture, and excitement within their communities.
