Text description provided by the architects. The municipality of Sint-Katelijne-Waver required a building consisting of a multipurpose hall, as well as a daycare centre and a small library. The building has a footprint of more than 1.800 m2, situated on a plot of just 3.500 m2. In order to realize a building as compact as possible, the multipurpose hall is situated in the centre of the site.
The daycare centre, as well as all logistic spaces and the library are organized around the multifunctional hall. This allows for easy interaction between the multipurpose hall and the surrounding spaces. In addition, a considerable outdoor area remains available as a playground.
An optimal orientation hereby allows sufficient daylight entering the building, offering wide views on the playground. In order to guarantee a good interaction between the new building and the existing school on the other side of the street, a uniform materialization of the street surface promotes slow traffic.
The municipality wanted to deliver a passive building. Thanks to the compact design and the strategic placement of the exterior windows, the energy performance could be optimized without the use of expensive interventions.
