AVS. Arkitektúr verktækni skipulag - 01.12.2004, Page 53

Lækjarskóli - primary
school in Hafnarfjörður
Hilmar Þór Björnsson and Sigríður Ólafsdóttir, Architects
Lækjarskóli in Hafnarfjörður was
designed according to the win-
ning proposal of „Á STOFUNNI
arkitektar" in an open architecture
competition held by the town of
Hafnarfjörður in 2000. The competi-
tion included the making of a site
plan for the Hörðuvellir area located
in downtown Hafnarfjörður as well
as the design of a kindergarten, a
primary school and athletic facility
on the site.
Nature played a starring role in this
project because the buildings were
to be situated amidst a sensitive
and protected nature area in down-
town Hafnarfjörður, overlooking the
town's lake. Due to this prominent
site, high quality - environmentally,
technically, aesthetically as well as
conceptually - became an essential
issue in the design of this new build-
ing dedicated to children.
In an effort to safeguard the natu-
ral setting, which predominantly
consists of lava and meadows, the
primary school building (being the
largest building on the site) was
given a longhouse design with
transverse wings set on a preexist-
ing road. The southwest side of this
longhouse is made of an inclined
glass-wall, which curves along the
outlines of the old road. By doing
so the architects have transferred
the road conceptually to the school
building in which it becomes the
school's main corridor. Every stu-
dent and staff member has to walk
through the corridor daily to attend
the different activities located in
specialized classrooms and offices
alongside the corridor and thereby a
continuous movement and happen-
ing is created on the „road“.
Meanwhile different activities take
place in the longhouse the three
transverse wings that cut through
it house „home-classrooms“ on the
southwest side and classrooms for
disabled children, group-rooms as
well as a lecture hall and a wood
shop on the northeast side. Each of
these transversal wings is dedicated
to a certain age group so every
pupil has his or her „home“ within
the building.
The school's spectacular sur-
roundings called for somewhat
uncommon design both regarding
floor plans and building materials.
It was essential to the architects
that people inside the building
could experience the beautiful lava
and meadows and consequently
open spaces and gathering points
are alongside the building's large,
glazed facades. This arrangement
also allows for people outside the
school to become a part of the eve-
ryday school life without interrupting
directly.
The site-specific approach taken to
the school's design required certain
building materials that would reflect
the surroundings both natural and
man made. Concrete, steel and
glass as well as wood and stone
are the main materials used in the
building. These are treated in differ-
ent ways, both conventionall y and
unconventionally to enhance the
required appearances. Furthermore
all colors in the building reflect the
site's flora and simultaneously give
each part of it a certain identity.
Adjacent to the school building is its
sport facility, housing a swimming
pool and a sports hall. Building size:
6800 sq. meters. ■
avs 53