The Graafschap College in  Doetinchem opened a new branch on Sportpark Zuid (Sports park south). architectural office cepezed and cepezedinterieur made the integral design for the modern school building for the 700 students of the education departments Sport & Movement and Security & Craftmanship. Sportpark Zuid, where previously a tennis hall was located, is the ideal location for these studies because they can make use of the sports fields and other facilities, such as a top-level sports hall. The new Graafschap College is one of the first school buildings in the Netherlands that doesn’t use gas.

Project: Graafschap College
departments Sport & Movement and Security & Professionalism (location Sportweg)
Address of project: Sportweg 3, Doetinchem, Netherlands
Client: Graafschap College, Doetinchem, Netherlands
Architect: architectenbureau cepezed, Delft, Netherlands
(project team: Ronald Schleurholts, Jan Houtekamer, Koen van Tienen, Teun Kruip, Ruud van Ginneken, Tibo Hoek)
Interieurarchitect: cepezedinterieur (projectteam: Det van Oers, Tamara van der Valk)
Consultant stability: Aveco de Bondt, Amersfoort
Consultant mechanical & electrical installations: Pola Installatietechniek, Zevenaar
consultant construction physics, sustainability, acoustics and fire safety
Aveco de Bondt, Holten

Main contractor

Klaassen Groep, Dinxperloo
contractor steel construction
Klein Poelhuis Konstruktie, Winterswijk
contractor installations
Pola Installatietechniek, Zevenaar

contractor facades

Metadecor, Kampen | Polybouw, Rijssen | Benjamin Prefab, Harbrinkhoek | Stameta, Staphorst
project duration: mei 2015 (tenderfase) – augustus 2018
Gfa: 5,824 m²
photography: cepezed | Lucas van der Wee
Drawings: architectenbureau cepezed
www.cepezed.nl

Graafschap college By cepezed - Sheet3The school building is structured around a large central atrium, where the floor rises stepwise. With its many different seats, the atrium functions as a meeting place and canteen for the 700 students. Large strip windows in the roof of the atrium allow daylight to penetrate deep into the school. On every floor, the atrium is surrounded by a gallery with a balustrade of stainless steel mesh. The galleries provide access to the classrooms, which are situated on the outside walls.

Graafschap college By cepezed - Sheet4On the ground floor, there are special functions such as the kitchen, the staff room and a number of interview rooms. Here two external tenants have also been accommodated, with their own entrance. In order to be able to look over the car park from the ground floor, and to give the building the appearance of a pavilion in green surroundings, the school has been elevated by a half-storey and placed on a basement. Beside the car park, the height difference is bridged by an elongated, landscaped staircase which also incorporates a ramp. On the eastern end elevation, the basement continues on into a raised schoolyard where the entrance is situated. The school has a lower ground floor running under half of the school with a basement where a naturally ventilated bicycle parking area and the changing rooms and lockers are located.

Graafschap college By cepezed - Sheet5

The façades are horizontally articulated, with alternating strips of glass and black aluminium panels. With the exception of the north side, the second skin of Corten steel has been placed in front of the façades, with a design that refers to the oak trees growing around the school. The Corten steel, which also functions as sun shading, is perforated so that there is sufficient sight from the inside looking out.

Graafschap college By cepezed - Sheet7cepezedinterieur is responsible for interior design. The identity of both courses of study is recognizable in the look and feel of the building and is expressed in a harmonious combination of materials, textures and graphic elements. Related to Security & Professionalism, a course that prepares for working in the defence sector, a solid basis has been created with robust materials such as black rubber and end-grain wood for the floors. Accents have been added with, for example, prints and furniture fabrics in neon colours, this time related to Sport & Movement.

Author

Rethinking The Future (RTF) is a Global Platform for Architecture and Design. RTF through more than 100 countries around the world provides an interactive platform of highest standard acknowledging the projects among creative and influential industry professionals.