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Primary School De Windwijzer Laarne

Construction and Renovation of a Primary School

Customer
MUNICIPALITY OF LAARNE
Building place
Laarne, Belgium
Type of building
Sport and education
Sector
Public sector, Education
Floor space of the building
3 070,30 m²
Project sheet
Windwijzer Laarne - Photography: Dero Construct
Windwijzer Laarne - Photography: Dero Construct
The school's existing buildings in Laarne had become far too small for the current and desired programme. The buildings and their technical equipment were severely outdated and no longer met the required comfort. 

The school was temporarily relocated: partly to the local sports hall and partly to mobile classroom containers. This for the sake of the children's safety, but also because it meant that work did not have to be done in phases. Construction could be carried out more quickly, allowing the children to return sooner to the school in the Schoolstraat in Laarne.

The existing primary school underwent a total renovation in accordance with today's EPB standards, the current requirements for school buildings and AGION's physical standard.

All this while retaining the original appearance and façade materials. The outdated wooden exterior carpentry will be replaced by more maintenance-friendly exterior carpentry. On the existing ground level, floors were broken up and completely renewed from concrete slab, insulation to floor finish. The non-insulated pitched roofs will be insulated, and where necessary the roofing was renewed. 

In addition, the existing buildings were extended with a new building for the kindergarten, sports hall and after-school childcare that meets contemporary energy requirements and all modern comforts. The façade materials of the new building were chosen to discretely fit in with the existing school and residential environment.

The new sports hall is open at ground level, along the south and north façade, with glass sections, which provide a nice view from the playground of the woods behind. The sports hall forms an accent on the site like a "house in the landscape".

The nursery school and the sports hall are connected by means of a covered playground .The roof of the covered playground simultaneously forms the floor for an above-ground playground for the after-school childcare centre. The above-ground playground offers a view of the central playground, without disturbing the neighbours.

The school opened in September 2024.

ABETEC was responsible for architecture, structural engineering, techniques, infrastructure and EPB-reporting.