atelier de dommel - Open classroom as an organic performance space


With children's work as the main element to brighten up a public space, I interviewed education advisor, teacher and social worker, to get an idea of how a place for children functions. Atelier de Dommel is proposed. An open classroom situated in the river of Dommel, where the head office of the water board, and sewage treatment plant are located nearby.


Interview with teacher Uke Draisma and Education advisor Harry Gankema from KPC Groep.



An in-between classroom that runs like an atelier, children (age 5-12) from different schools go there and have occasional classes, other cultural events can be hold for families or children groups during weekends/holidays.

Its skeleton-like structure allows changes, the facade / space is therefore always displayed with children’s work. And because it's open, the learning experience becomes visible for the outside, a classroom as an organic performance space.

Atelier de Dommel is a concept-classroom that can actually be located anywhere, with surrounding nature as the important source for its programme, it is to be surrounded by farms / fields / infrastruture of the water board / natural museums / forrest / primary schools and have a reasonable distance to the dike (bank) so that people can sit along the side and enjoy the "living" facade created by children.


An early sketch visualizing works of children floating on the water during high water.



Weather and the surrounding are essential elements complementing to the program.






Model is made of 2 parts, the middle part of the building (yurt) is floating where the platform around is fixed, allowing the water level to raise above the platform creating a physical experience of flooding, works hung around will also be influenced by the water.