Colourful spaces and glass roof

The community school ‘Laterna Magica’ is situated on Rieteiland Oost, on the edge of Theo van Gogh Park. A community school – an increasingly popular school concepthouses various educational and care facilities. The aim is to promote interaction between the various users in the building’s communal spaces.

Laterna Magica houses two schools, a children’s day care centre and a sports hall. It also contains six dwellings. These were added in order to generate extra income and to fit the design in better with the neighbouring housing blocks. The façade is executed in anthracite grey brick with a number of colour accents. The entrance to the school building is situated in a tall gateway, which also gives access to the sports hall, the school playground with garden courtyard and the dwellings. The educational philosophy ‘Learning Naturally’ determined the interior design. Children are able to work and play within the themes of their choice. These themes are housed in interconnected spatial units, which can also be closed off, if so desired, making play, concentration and group learning possible. The colours green, purple and blue denote the various functions in the building. The schools and the children’s day care centre are accessed from the central hall, which also contains a stage for dance and theatre performances. Large windows provide a view of the courtyard where there is a vegetable garden and a chicken coop. The magic lantern in the school’s name is reflected in the design of the central hall. The tall glass roof allows daylight free play in this colourful space. (ARCAM)