One more

Label Archi­tec­ture expanded “Arc en Ciel” with four class­rooms and new outdoor areas. The roof areas played a special role in this.

Located in the midst of Saint-Josse-ten-Noode – the neigh­bor­hood with the highest popu­la­tion density in Belgium – the already crowded school and daycare centre “Arc en Ciel” wanted to increase its capa­city with extra class­rooms along with new outdoor spaces.

The internal orga­ni­sa­tion allows  to gather an ensemble of smaller func­tions and to turn them into two big class­rooms on each floor. Further­more, the dupli­ca­tion of the exis­ting facade creates a new circu­la­tion, avoids an enfi­lade of classes and provides extra storage space for the pupils.

The exis­ting gap between the buil­dings was closed by adding a storey with new class­rooms.

Moreover, the new facade drasti­cally improves the overall thermal perfor­mance of the buil­ding.

These same tactics are applied to provide more outdoor space for the school. By inser­ting a concrete struc­ture, the ground surface of the play­ground is doubled.

This “table” covers a coll­ec­tion of play­ground equip­ment on the ground floor, while its roof is used as an enclosed sports field.

Arc en Ciel now has some excep­tional quali­ties to offer. Above all, the two large outdoor areas are a clear response to a dense envi­ron­ment.

On the corner, the cavity between the two buil­dings is filled with the addi­tion of 4 new class­rooms. The exis­ting stair­case is extended to giving access to the new level and its roof­sur­face.

Here, accom­pa­g­nied by an impres­sive view on Brussels, the daycare centre finds its new outdoor space and pres­ents itself to the neigh­bor­hood.