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Dulon College

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Dulon College 

Dulon College, part of the Christian Education Group, is located in Ede. It is an intermediate vocational school with over 2,600 students and 240 employees. The school offers 72 courses in five fields of study: Trade, Economics & Administration, Hospitality, Tourism, Recreation & Wellness, Security & Sports, Care & Welfare and Entree. Based on a design by cepezed, the existing school complex will be transformed into a truly modern and future proof educational building.

  • client(s)
  • Christelijke Onderwijs Groep
  • location
  • Ede
  • user(s)
  • Dulon College
  • expertise
  • architects

simplicity as a basis  

Both the interior and exterior of the Dulon College in Ede will undergo a thorough makeover. The main building (outlined in the image) will be stripped down to its concrete main structure and will subsequently be transformed as to prolong its use. All parts that deviate from the original main structure, such as the characteristic round metal appendix at the entrance, will also be removed. The additional building (marked with dotted lines) will be removed entirely.

Lost space will be regained by expanding the narrowest wing. Also, the outdoor space under the three wings will become a new floor properly suited for education. In the new situation, the main structure is more balanced as a whole and offers flexible opportunities for the layout of the floor plan. As footbridges connect the three wings, new, direct walking routes are provided.

The simplicity of the plan implements tranquillity, enlarges the incidence of daylight and betters the internal routing.

cepezed

space for domains  

The three-layered wings accommodate the five educational domains. This includes a technology classroom and a beauty salon, music, drama and care classrooms, as well as an office simulation room, travel agency and barbershop. The wings are connected through the main structure, but also via the new corridors and walkways along the atrium and the inner garden.

Whereas they used to feel endless, the corridors in the connecting main building lead to a new façade rich with daylight. Unpleasant, dark walkways are a thing of the past. Daylight is allowed to flood in, creating a naturally pleasant and safe atmosphere.

The closed corridor structure is interrupted by a tactical situating of learning zones and social zones in each wing. This creates clear sightlines to the forecourt, the atrium and the inner garden, which increases the spaciousness of the building. At the same time these agreeable places stimulate students to hold meetings or to study independently or in groups.

cepezed

pleasant learning environment  

Dulon College provides practical and theoretical education. These two pillars converge in the so called blended learning educational system, especially suited for vulnerable students, who require a familiar, low stimulus and safe environment. The designers have paid a lot of attention to, this demand.

All educational domains have been given their own place in the three-layered wings. Each domain has a different characterization and visual identity. At the beginning of each wing, there is a private practice area and on the ground floor of the main building, there are shared practice rooms along the length of the building, which literally serve as a showcase for the school.

The spatial character and the open staircase of the new building provide visual and physical vertical connections between the floors. They also create unity and offers a beautiful view. Because the façade is largely made of (HR++ insulating) glass, there is an abundance of daylight. The void and the various seating areas make this a pleasant area to stay.

cepezed
cepezed

healthy building  

The view from the wings will differ from the view in the past. Where dozens of cars used to be parked, hundreds of pupils will soon gather in the beautiful atrium, which houses the canteen and the kitchen. This large, multipurpose, open area, with plenty of daylight, greenery and a void, is not just a place where students can eat. It is also a pleasant place to relax and meet each other.

The space between the other wings becomes an enclosed courtyard garden, so pupils will have a view on greenery. This adjustment contributes to a more stimulating working and learning environment, ensures calm and increases concentration.

After the transformation, the Dulon College will be an almost energy-neutral building (BENG) - thanks to good insulation, a completely new facade, about 1,900 m2 solar panels on the roof, a thermal energy storage system, underfloor heating and spout ventilation. The school has also been awarded the Fresh Schools Class B label for a healthy indoor climate. Because the sustainable investments don’t concern the building alone, but also the wellbeing of the people who work there and the students that are developing their future.

cepezed

co-creation  

The new design is a co-creation with the client on the basis of a toolbox developed by cepezed. Within the existing comb structure, solutions were devised that could be implemented in various ways and places. Together with the Christelijke Onderwijs Groep (COG), the definitive position was determined.

The image shows this process, with the marking of all sorts of optional elements such as an atrium, inner garden, void and greenery. The total design by cepezed offers maximum freedom for the layout of the floor plan. Moreover, the highly flexible design ensures that spaces can easily be adapted in the future.

cepezed

green promenade  

The whole facade of the building will be replaced. Profiled aluminium cladding will be placed on top of a prefabricated wooden frame. To change the closed structure of the main building, more windows will be placed in the façade. This will allow daylight to reach deep into the building, eliminating unpleasant and dark walking routes: in the new situation corridors will face daylight. This creates a natural, pleasant and above all safe environment.

By demolishing the additional building a large forecourt is created at the front. On the ground floor along the entire length of the building, the practical courses are positioned like a showcase. In this way, the attention is explicitly drawn to the practical approach of the school.

Outside, the school's day-to-day entrance gives way to a green promenade. Trees, grass and plants to promote biodiversity adorn the open forecourt. This provides a stimulating learning environment for the pupils of both the Dulon College and the neighbouring Technova College. At the same time, it embellishes the neighbourhood for the people that live there.

cepezed
cepezed

partners

  • client: Christelijke Onderwijs Groep
  • main contractor: Rots Bouw
  • project management: Alliantis
  • installations: ITN Installatietechniek
  • constructions: Zonneveld Ingenieurs B.V.
  • installations advise: Deerns Raadgevende Ingenieurs B.V.
  • stability advise: Deerns Raadgevende Ingenieurs B.V.
  • fire safety: Deerns Raadgevende Ingenieurs B.V.
  • interior design: cepezedinterieur
  • landscape architect: BoschSlabbers
  • cost calculation: 4Building
contact
→ Mail bd@cepezed.nl or call our business development team on +31 (0)15 2150000

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