A second life for school buildings by atelier PRO architects

Abstract

Many educational buildings still do not have proper ventilation systems, are not sustainable in use, and contribute to the spread of Covid-19 viruses. The biggest challenge for the future is to provide attractive, useable, healthy, and sustainable educational buildings in the Netherlands. But is this challenge realistic? Old buildings are usually demolished and replaced by new ones because the government hardly gives any compensation for building renovation or transformation. This leads to the demolition of many school buildings even though the application of new raw materials is not circular and has an impact on our climate and environment. Furthermore, many pre-war buildings are heritage that have a positive impact on neighbourhoods. It is unclear who is responsible for educational buildings, renovation, and financing all the ambitions. The government, the municipality or the school foundation? Problems will soon be exacerbated. At this moment the environmental impact (MilieuPrestatieGebouwen MPG) has no legal base however, this will rapidly change in the age of a circular economy and the upcoming renovation wave. Atelier PRO architects designs many educational buildings and they noticed a change of attitude in conceptualizing educational buildings the last years in the forerunner municipality Amsterdam. Based on these cases and experiences atelier PRO learned their lessons about the ideal renovation towards attractive, healthy and sustainable educational buildings.