The primary school De Regenboog is located in the polder of Slikkerveer, part of the municipality of Ridderkerk, and has grown along with the expansion of this post-war residential district. The original building by architect Leo Oskam is a valuable example of modernist school architecture. The free-standing wings followed the urbanism of L-shaped slabs floating on green islands. The typology followed the system of the ‘portiekschool’: stacked classrooms separated by bays of staircases, an efficient building system closely related to the typology of surrounding apartment buildings.
Throughout the years, several unfortunate adjustments and additions clogged up the airy and light layout of the school. The task for the future is to create a new and improved sustainable primary school with additional daycare facilities. The design was developed in dialogue with the school board and municipality and studies how to incorporate an enlarged programme with better accessibility on the limited site.
The obsolete single-storey structures are removed to build two new wings in a wooden structure filled with earth-blocks and accommodate the special programmes such as cooking and crafts studios and a multifunctional playroom that doubles as theatre space. The classrooms of the two characteristic 1960’s wings are respectfully insulated, renovated and integrated into the now fully accessible two-storey school. The former patio’s of the original design are reimagined in a system of high interior streets and courtyards.
The reality of the growing child, developing both physically and mentally while exploring the school, is the leading idea for the design. The school building is perceived as a place of discovery, offering an experience of contrasting environments and scales, as a city within a city.
project - primary school De Regenboog
program - renovation 1230m², extension 1200m²
location - Slikkerveer Ridderkerk
status - preliminary design 2023
client - Gemeente Ridderkerk / Stichting Mevrouw Meijer