THE SENSITIVE SCHOOLDAY
A Learning Journey
Graduation Project
Master of Architecture
Evie Lentjes
Academy of Architecture
Amsterdam
November 2024
THE SENSITIVE SCHOOLDAY
A Learning Journey
Graduation Project
Master of Architecture
Evie Lentjes
November 2024
For everybody that feels different in this world. (that is okay!)
For everybody that feels they cannot do it. (you can!)
For my family and friends. (who helped me get here) For myself. (as a reminder that I can do it)
In memory of Monica Vervaart †, for inspirating me to design for people that need it.
“The
Sensitive Schoolday: A Learning Journey”
“An architectural journey of individual choice, connection with nature, shelter and decentralization. Designed for highly sensitive children, supporting the wellbeing of everyone”
PART I
The time a child spends at school plays a significant role in their physical and mental development. The school journey usually starts at a young age in preschool, followed by primary school and then secondary school. After that, most young people choose to pursue further education that prepares them for a future career and helps them find their place in society. In the Netherlands, we have “passend onderwijs” (appropriate education), where every child receives an educational form that suits their needs and abilities. This can be regular education or an alternative form such as Jenaplan or Montessori education. For children with special circumstances, such as a mental health condition or behavioral problems, special education is an option. However, there is a group that often falls outside the current system: highly sensitive children. Although they belong in regular education, they often cannot fully reach their potential there.
High sensitivity is not an illness or disorder, but an innate trait that is an integral part of who someone is. Approximately 20% of children are highly sensitive and experience the world differently from their non-sensitive family members, friends, and classmates. These children are constantly processing all the stimuli and thoughts around them, something others can more easily let go of, often resulting in overstimulation due to the constant flow of impressions. They experience emotions more deeply, not only their own but sometimes also those of others. Additionally, they are particularly sensitive to stimuli that enter through their senses, such as sound, light, or touch.
Highly sensitive children are not always well understood in both primary and secondary school. Because these children may seem distracted, react impulsively, or display behavior that differs from the rest of the class, their needs are sometimes misinterpreted. This can result in lower school performance and an incorrect assessment of their potential. Unfortunately, they are sometimes incorrectly placed at a lower educational level or even referred to special education. In extreme cases, they may end up completely outside the educational system and remain at home for an extended period. In short, the current system of “passend onderwijs” in the Netherlands falls short for 1 in 5 children attending school. This needs to change, and as spatial designers, we, as architects, can bring about this change.
PART II
As architects, we have no influence on the content and form of education or the pedagogical requirements imposed on it. What we can influence is the physical space in which we find ourselves and in which this education takes place. When designing schools, we always focus on inclusivity for all students and teachers. We analyze, among other things, how the future users of the school move, behave, and function within the space. To truly integrate highly sensitive students and teachers into the school environment, I have reversed the design approach. Instead of designing for the norm—the 80% non-sensitive users—I have created a design specifically tailored to the needs of the 20% who are highly sensitive. By designing specifically for this group, I give highly sensitive students the chance to reach their full
potential and feel truly at home in their school environment without excluding non-sensitive students. It is not about a form of special or alternative education, but about creating a school environment where highly sensitive students can also grow and feel comfortable alongside their non-sensitive peers.
To create a design that meets the needs of highly sensitive students, I went through several important steps during my graduation process. These steps together form the basis for the final result.
- I conducted extensive research on high sensitivity, both in general and in the Netherlands. I also researched high sensitivity in adults and children, focusing on the impact high sensitivity has on children and the effects it can have on their school environment.
- By combining literary research, interviews, conversations, and personal stories with spatial analyses of schools and school systems, both in the Netherlands and abroad, I gained insight into the challenges experienced by highly sensitive children within our education system and what needs to change in the way we build schools.
- Based on this research, I further explored the essence of designing for highly sensitive students and formulated four core elements that formed the basis for the design. These elements are: decentralization, integration of inside and outside, shelter, and choices.
- I applied all the collected data together with the core elements in an existing school building in Eindhoven, the city where I was born and raised, to make my vision a reality. The result is a design with clear
architectural principles or a secondary school specifically focused on highly sensitive students and teachers, while still remaining accessible to everyone. The plan ensures that the way we use a school fundamentally changes, without altering the Dutch education system itself.
I invite you to join me on a journey of discovery, where we learn, experience, and explore what it means to be yourself and highly sensitive in a school environment. We will discover what it is like for a highly sensitive child to go to school and what is needed to make this ‘forgotten group’ truly feel at home in their school environment. I will show you how all of this comes together in my design, in the sensitive school day: an architectural journey of individual choice, connection with nature, shelter, and decentralization. Designed for highly sensitive children, supporting the wellbeing of everyone.
CHAPTER 1; INTRODUCTION 13
Definition
Characteristics
Living with HSP as an adult
Living with HSP as a child
Misconceptions
Facts
Urgency
Inspiration
The Dutch schoolday
4 Challenges when designing a school for HSP
CHAPTER 2; LOCATION 51
A personal journey; Eindhoven
Existing situation
Lorentz Building
Existing surrounding elements
CHAPTER 3; HOMEROOM 67
Homeroom
Standard schools
Standard schoolplans
Standard schoolrouting
New (homeroom) program
The homeroom principle
Principle 1: Connecting to nature
Principle 2: Decentralized spaces
Principle 3: Choosing your route
Priciple 4: Finding shelter
Existing structure
CHAPTER 4; BREAKS 97
Breaks and gradients
Breaks; open spaces
Breaks; group spaces
Breaks; individual spaces
CHAPTER 5; BUILDING BLOCKS 113
The building blocks
Ground floor
Middle and top floor
Exterior materials
Entrance facade
Clear entrances
Existing structures
Courtyard facade
Passing through
Walking by
Park Facade
Building identity
Interacting with CHAPTER 6; SITUATION
4 Design principles for desiging for HSP
The highly sensitive schoolday
INTRODUCTION chapter 1
Definition
“An innate temperament with the strategy to stop and check in new situations, the ability to perceive subtle stimuli, and a more intense and complex processing of information so that action can be taken more effectively. All of this is driven by stronger emotional responses, both positive and negative.”
Elaine Aron (2005)
Highly sensitive people are more strongly influenced by their environment. This is due to the different way of processing information. The little things that others miss in everyday life are observed and deeply thought about. In the brain of a highly sensitive person, every trigger or impulse involves a process of several steps, namely noticing, processing, reacting and reflecting. This is clearly described by Esther Bersma in her book The highly sensitive brain; why you shouldn’t ask a fish to climb a tree:
NOTICE:
Highly sensitive people are more likely to notice sounds, lights or smells, but also other people’s emotions, social interactions and changes in a room. They have a behavior braking system to process all the information, the stop and check system.
PROCESSING:
Stimuli are deeply processed. Highly sensitive people only take action once they have processed the relevant information. They have what is called a stop-and-check system. HSP are strongly focused on the interests of the group and often subordinate their own interests, the optimal option ambition.
REACTING:
Highly sensitive people react differently to all those stimuli. It takes more energy to better notice and process all stimuli more deeply, which often causes them to experience more stress. In addition, they react emotionally more intensely. HSP also plays a major role in children. Some children are barely affected by the environment. Tomas Boyse and Bruce Ellis called these in their research (the orchid and the dandelion) the dandelion children; “They always grow, whether along the side of the road or between the paving stones.” However, 20% of the children studied were found to be influenced by their environment. In a bad situation, these children do not flourish, while in perfect circumstances they flourish. These are called the orchid children. This has everything to do with differential susceptibility; the extent to which you are receptive to your environment.
Characteristics
High sensitivity comes with a number of characteristics, of which one or more often apply to someone. The most wellknown characteristic is the physical sensitivity due to the increased intensity of perception by the senses. The stimuli from hearing, sight, smell, taste and/or touch are noticed more quickly and the influence is greater. For example, 70% of HSP children suffer from loud sounds or noise in their environment. Another well-known feature is the sharper perception of the environment. While the average person is change blind, highly sensitive people see the small changes around them. Frederike Gerstenburg has shown in her research (2012) that HSPs process visual information more accurately and faster, while making fewer mistakes, but also experiencing more stress in the process. In addition to these examples, there are many characteristics for high sensitivity. However, the core of high sensitivity is summarized by Elaine Aron in her book the highly sensitive person (1996) in the word DOES:
D. Deep processing of stimuli and information;
O. Overstimulation
E. Emotional intensity; empathy or empathy;
S. Sensory sensitivity; characterized by attentiveness and an eye for detail.
DEEP PROCESSING OF STIMULI AND INFORMATION;
Elaine Aron gives the example of remembering a phone number. If it is not possible to write down the new number, someone will try to process the new information by remembering it. For a highly sensitive person, this applies not only to a telephone number but to most input, consciously or unconsciously. Research has also shown that it is normal for highly sensitive people to look beyond the expectation, to allow processing to go deeper.
OVERSTIMULATION;
The behavior of HSP that is most obvious and noticeable is that a highly sensitive person can easily become stressed due to overstimulation and as a result become more withdrawn, tired or avoid situations. Due to all the information that comes in through the senses, it can in some cases become too much for that moment because there is a whole mental process behind it, while people without HSP seem to be able to close this off better. It is important that high sensitivity is not by definition about being upset by high levels of stimuli, but that it is a different way of looking at and experiencing the world around you.
EMOTIONAL INTENSITY; EMPATHY OR EMPATHY;
Highly sensitive people respond to both positive and negative experiences more strongly than non-highly sensitive people. This applies to events, stimuli, but also to the environment and the people in it. The E therefore also stands for empathy, which is often strongly present in highly sensitive people. This group of people tend to want to act or help
seeing a strong emotion around them. The deep processing is always strongly connected to the emotional response as motivation. If HSP respond more, it is equally or more to positive emotions such as curiosity, anticipation of success, desire, satisfaction or joy.
SENSORY SENSITIVITY; CHARACTERIZED BY ATTENTIVENESS AND AN EYE FOR DETAIL;
For the highly sensitive person themselves, this characteristic always seems to stand out the most; seeing details that others miss. There is no extraordinary senses, but the way of processing the stimuli of the senses is enhanced. Details seem to stand out more or register better because it is not filtered out but follows the same process of processing as all other stimuli.
Finally, highly sensitive individuals with a negative or less positive childhood are more likely to develop depression, anxiety or shyness than non-sensitive individuals with a similar background. Parents can (unconsciously) create a negative environment that causes the highly sensitive child to perceive this in this way or learn to deal with his high sensitivity in a negative way.
The aforementioned orchid children, highly sensitive children, have a link with the influence of the teacher in addition to the influence of their parents. The learning environment also has a two-way effect on the child. Bad circumstances cause more complaints, while a good situation leads to a better development of the highly sensitive characteristic.
Living with HSP as an adult
“For example, I also preferred not to be at school, as far as I’m concerned there were too many people there, which caused too many stimuli.”
“I’m almost always exhausted, even when I’m not doing anything. That’s because I have to recover from social situations for a long time. Especially when I don’t feel like something, it costs me a lot of energy. Most people are recoverd after eight hours of sleep, but I may need days to recharge.”
“I have incredibly good empathy. Girlfriends often come to me with their problems. In addition, I can intensely enjoy small things, for example when I am in nature.”
“I have to plan my whole week ahead. If I work during the day, I can’t go to a party in the evening.”
“My immediate environment completely understands if I go home earlier, but with a group of new people, it is a bit more difficult. Then I think: what will they think of me going home earlier? Sometimes I do stay but.”
“They want to tackle me with silk gloves, which is not necessary at all. It is stupid that people think that highly sensitive people can suddenly break down about everything.”
Living with HSP as a child
“Hmm, let me see how the others do it first”
“Mommy, why are we on earth?”
“I can’t sleep because I don’t know who I’m sitting next to for Easter breakfast tomorrow.”
“I’m not going to learn how to ride a bike until I’m 8.”
“I just think it all out in my head first and then I get to work.”
“There’s still a piece of skin on the apple - you know I don’t like skin.”
“Yes that’s the flavor I love, but the wrong brand.”
“Dad, you told Mom you were so tired you could fall down, but now you’re sweeping the floor.”
“I can’t do it, I’m stupid”
Misconceptions
“High sensitivity is weird”
“High sensitivity is a disease”
“High sensitivity has only recently existed”
“Only women are highly sensitive”
“Everyone can see if someone is highly sensitive”
“The environment in which an HSP grows up is unimportant” “Highly sensitive people are shy”
“High sensitivity is a weakness”
“All HSP are alike”
“It is better not to be highly sensitive”
GENERAL:
- The amount of high sensitivity occurs in 20% of the total world population.
- In animals, 20% is also highly sensitive, which is necessary for survival.
These animals have a protective function for the herd.
- The male/female ratio is equal, 50/50%
- 30% of highly sensitive people are extroverts, the other 70% are introverts.
- Because it is a trait, many people do not know of themselves that they are highly sensitive
- High sensitivity is congenital and hereditary
CHILDREN:
- 60% of highly sensitive children suffer from performance anxiety.
- 40% of highly sensitive children suffer so much from overstimulation (at school) that it hinders their daily lives
- 25% of highly sensitive children are bullied
Urgency
Because highly sensitive people process more intensely, analyze information more deeply, put themselves in the shoes of others and connect events with previous experiences, the outcome or thought can just be different from the normal reaction. For non- highly sensitive persons, the thought process that has taken place can sometimes be impossible to follow, the highly sensitive person has, as it were, taken a different turn or has taken a number of extra turns. This can lead to miscommunication or misunderstanding on both sides. This in turn can cause mental problems such as burnout, loneliness or even depression.
Also, this constant thought process is very tiring. Every thought, every feeling, every event has an intense internal process. In addition to the fact that this is already tiring in a general sense, there is also a reaction from the brain and therefore a physical reaction. When something is perceived that seems beyond the ability to cope, the body sends a signal to the brain, highly sensitive or not. Then the body ensures that you can respond to what is happening. This is the so-called fight/flight/freeze response. This response is vital to our survival and keeps us safe. But if it is triggered too often, an imbalance will arise. The bodily systems no longer relax and a stream of energy continues to be used.
In the book “from big bang to burnout” by Hoogendijk and de Rek, the comparison is made with the fishing era and prehistoric times. When we still had to flee from the shark or later from the large predators, the stress response was extremely important. But in today’s life, we also get this stress response from unexpected impulses, scares or social events. The stress response is therefore not only more concrete but also abstract. When the information processing and
intake of stimuli is higher than normal, as is the case with highly sensitive people, the stress response, fighting, fleeing or freezing, will therefore also require more energy and have a mental but also physical influence on daily life.
Finally, high sensitivity in this often digital society is not always easy. In this society everything beeps, you have to react immediately, the speed is unbelievable and stimuli are normal. For highly sensitive people it is very important to find balance in this life without completely adapting. The term is becoming more and more familiar as more people start talking about it and instead of adapting to their environment, they speak out about what they need. However, the advance of the term high sensitivity, just like ADHD, autism or depression, is also risky. It could happen, as with the earlier examples, that the environment considers it a disease and wants to solve it. After all, it differs. In today’s society, high sensitivity must be given a place instead of always being the exception. If we look carefully around us, there are more than we think or realize. Since I started this research and brought up high sensitivity in my environment, the response has been intense. When I start talking myself, the environment automatically follows, the 20% highly sensitive and the 80% non-highly sensitive.
In children, the problems with high sensitivity are no different. These children can also be constantly in the stress response and react to it. There can even be developmental trauma from being misunderstood or seen, both at home and at school, and being rejected by their often intense behavior. A wrong negative self- image can arise due to “being different”. Sometimes these pupils end up as home sitters or in special education with young people with other (psychological) problems. For this reason, they often fall between two stools, because there is not always suitable education for these young people. For the HSP young people who choose to go to another school, the choice is whether regular education, which they often cannot do because nothing seems to be wrong, they are not difficult and not rebellious, rather quiet and calm. Another choice is special education (vso) cluster 4 for children with psychological disorders and behavioral problems. This education focuses mainly on social-emotional development with a lot of structure and guidance in how young people can deal with their problems. The individual attention and small scale is also more present than in regular education. However, high sensitivity is not a disorder that can be treated or needs more intense guidance, such as depression, ADHD or autism. As a result, it is not always possible to find suitable education for this group of young people in special education and, despite being able to obtain a diploma, they cannot find their place.
The Dutch schoolday
In the Dutch secondary school system, the school day typically starts around 8:30 or 9:00 AM and usually ends at 3:30 or 4:00 PM, depending on the schedule. The day is divided into several lessons, usually lasting 50 minutes, with short breaks and a longer lunch break. The start and end of the school day are often characterized by students parking and retrieving their bikes at the bike racks and entering the building through the main entrance.
Inside the school, each student usually has their own locker, where they store their belongings at the start of the day. Between classes, lockers are quickly accessed for books or other necessities. At the end of the day, the routine ends with retrieving belongings from the locker before heading home. Students move between different classrooms depending on the subject. This means that you often walk from one room to another. Teachers generally have their own classroom or a designated section of the school. The aula is the central point of the school, where breaks, meetings, and other activities take place. It is a busy and lively space where many students gather, providing a place to relax and socialize.
But when you are highly sensitive this system and design does not always work . Highly sensitive people experience the school differently and get triggered by different things than non highly sensitive people. They can be triggered by for instance the lights, the sounds, the smells but also things happening around them or the students that they share the school with.
4 Challenges when designing a school for HSP
Bounderies, overstimulation, centralization and regulation
LOCATION chapter 2
Existing situation
The project is located in an existing nature area, t’ Wasven, where an old school building is situated. The building is an existing school structure from the post-war period, the Lorentz Casimir Lyceum at Celebeslaan 10-20. The school was established in 1996 following a merger between the Lorentz Lyceum (for academic education) and the Rommert Casimir Havo. The Lorentz building, built in 1962, and the Casimir building, built in 1946, were already next to each other at that time, with the upper grades housed in one and the lower grades in the other. The school is named after physicist Hendrik Antoon Lorentz and educator and education innovator Rommert Casimir.
The Lorentz building, a long rectangular school structure with a perpendicular wing, serves as the host for the graduation project. The building is situated on a large plot of land with a clear entrance and parking area at the front, and an open sports field at the rear. On one side, the building is enclosed by a farm built by Philips, while on the other side, it is attached to the Casimir building, separated by the Karpendonkse Loop, a monumental stream that connects the area to the Dommel river. Finally, there are several large, monumental Walton Oak trees in front and behind the building, which are characteristic of the area.
Existing surrounding elements
The area features several distinctive elements around and within the building that are important for the design. These are clearly visible in the images and serve as the starting point for the design.
- The old beech avenue that connects the historic castle grounds, where the school is located, to the rest of Eindhoven.
- The open structure of the castle forest, with public walking paths and a variety of trees and shrubs.
- The monumental trees and stream surrounding the existing school building, forming a natural boundary between the building and the rest of the area.
- The visible skeletal structure of the building in its original sections, especially noticeable on the exterior, contrasting with the horizontal appearance of the two later added sections.
HOMEROOM chapter 3
“Homeroom”
A personal home base for students: a private space equipped with everything they need to work, study, relax, and connect with their group.
In many schools, there is little room for children and young people to truly feel at home. Their home environment, while more personal, is often not entirely their own, and school spaces are primarily governed by the rules of others. Students move from one classroom to another for each subject, and the remaining spaces offer limited opportunities to retreat. The only thing that feels somewhat personal is their locker—but even that is quite minimal.
The introduction of the homeroom addresses this lack of personal space. Instead of constantly switching between different classrooms, students are provided with their own space: a hub where they can spend their school year. This homeroom is not just a classroom for lessons but also a living room, study area, workspace, or meeting spot. It fosters a sense of ownership, featuring facilities such as lockers, toilets, and even a private garden or outdoor area dedicated to their group.
Instead of students moving to the teacher’s space, teachers travel from their homerooms to the students. Because the homeroom feels like their own, it encourages stronger social accountability among the students. They can actively take care of their space, contributing to a stronger group dynamic. The openness and visibility of the homerooms, which are connected to courtyards and surrounding pathways, allow teachers and other staff to maintain a clear view of daily activities.
The homeroom is designed to offer students an environment where they can focus, work, relax, and socialize with their peers. It provides a space where they can truly be themselves and experience their school day in their own way. This setup promotes calm, structure, and a sense of security, enhancing the overall learning experience—especially for highly sensitive students who need a more sheltered and tranquil environment.
While the homeroom serves as a safe home base and starting point for students, it remains an integral part of the larger school community and campus. It offers a stable place for students to focus and grow while also allowing them to broaden their horizons. Students can easily connect with other groups, participate in school-wide activities, and explore other areas of the campus. The open and accessible structure of the school ensures that the homeroom is never an isolated island but rather a hub that facilitates connections and interactions with the rest of the school. This provides students with the freedom to expand their social networks, gain new experiences, and find their place within the broader school community.
Standard schools
Things that stand out in both Hall and Corridor schools
1. Central spaces should focus on rest and transition, not just serve as entrances.
2. A single central space may not meet all needs.
3. Language and theory classes can share multipurpose rooms.
4. Arts, technical, and sports require specialized equipment.
5. Sports facilities can benefit the local community.
6. Outdoor spaces should integrate with the school, not be separate.
Standard schoolplans
Things that stand out in both Hall and Corridor schools
a. Focus on education and classrooms.
b. Educational zones are often seperated from each other.
c. Connection and circulation are centrally integrated.
d. Classrooms are connected to the central area through circulation spaces.
e. Nature is only incorporated along the outside.
Standard schoolroutings
New (homeroom) program
The new basis for the program;
1. Classrooms are replaced by homerooms
2. Technical classes, arts classes and sport get their own space
3. Everything is connected through pathways, always having multiple choices
The homeroom principle
The homeroom concept departs from the traditional idea of moving from class to class throughout the day. It draws inspiration from the literal meaning of the term “homeroom,” which is used in various school systems around the world—referring to a room or class where students begin their day.
Inside the homeroom, all the functions needed for the day are provided, except for specialized areas like technical classes, art classes, and sports. The homeroom serves as the student’s home base throughout the year and always includes its own entrance, typically in the form of an atrium. It features a learning area with interconnected classrooms, a living room-like space, and a quiet zone.
The entire design of the homeroom is based on four core principles, which are evident at every scale in the design, from the smallest room to the larger building.
Principle 1: connecting to nature
Principle 2: decentralized spaces
Principle 3: choosing your route
Principle 4: finding shelter
Principle 1: Connection to nature
Principle 2: Decentralized spaces
Principle 3: Choosing your route
Principle 4: Finding shelter
Although the design essentially represents a new school, it retains several elements from the existing building. These elements are reflected in key features throughout the design:
- The visible structure, both inside and outside.
- The authentic materials, such as the existing brickwork and stone granite floors.
- The stairwells, with their cast-iron railings.
- The horizontal orientation of the existing building.
- The various existing artworks.
The design seeks to emphasize these elements, restoring or enhancing them wherever possible. In doing so, the building itself helps students feel at home, guiding them through their day, school year, and even their entire school career.
BREAKS chapter 4
Breaks and gradients
The homerooms being the main solution in designing for HSP are providing a different way of studying and learning for the affected kids. But going one scale deeper, the design introduces the breaks. In this school, taking a break can take many forms on different levels so that every child or teacher has a choice on how to take care of themselves.
The different spaces, although seemingly random, follow a logical gradient inside the building from the gardens to the courtyard and back. The rooms also differ in sizes. The closer you get inside, the smaller the area gets.
Every breakroom is themed on an element, thus strengtening the connection to nature and tranquility in the process.
Breaks: Open spaces
garden (red) - “Serenity Garden”
courtyard (light green) - “Clouds Terrace”
Breaks: Group spaces
break 1 (dark green) - “Moorland Shed”
break 2 (dark green) - “Rain Shelter”
Breaks: Individual spaces
break A (sand) - “Grove Clearing”
break B (sand) - “Stone Grotto”
B (sand) - “Sunroom”
break
BUILDING BLOCKS chapter 5
The building blocks
The program:
The elements as determined in the homeroom that form the full building. Together they are everything a high-school in the Netherlands needs to function, without loosing the focus of designing for highly sensitive children
The non-program
The elements as determined in the homeroom that are not present in the building anymore. By introducing the homerooms, these elements of the program that is normally used can be designed in a different matter or be left out all together.
Ground floor
The design consists of four buildings, thoughtfully connected by pathways that run from the front to the back of the site. The placement of homerooms has been carefully considered, with the youngest children situated in their own dedicated wing. The older children, on the other hand, are integrated into the other sections of the building, creating a mixed environment that encourages interaction between different age groups.
Each building is equipped with its own entrance, ensuring clear and easy access to the various sections of the school. Specialized areas, such as science labs, art rooms, and other technical spaces, are housed in newly constructed buildings. These areas are carefully separated from the general homeroom sections, yet remain connected to the main school structure. This division ensures a functional flow while maintaining the principle of the homeroom as the core of student life, serving as the base for both open lessons and specialized activities like practicum sessions and lab work. Inside the buildings, pathways connect the various rooms, with most of the circulation taking place on the first floor or through outdoor corridors. These routes are designed to guide students and staff seamlessly between classrooms and other spaces. The external pathways further enhance the connection between the buildings, allowing easy access to all areas while also integrating the school into its surroundings.
To complete the program, the remaining spaces in the design have been filled with essential functions such as toilets, reception areas, offices, elevators, and media rooms. These additions ensure that the school is fully equipped to serve the needs of its students, staff, and visitors.
Middle and top floor
The buildings are seamlessly connected, with fully covered internal routes ensuring complete circulation between the spaces. The homerooms are strategically placed, with each one easily accessible while maintaining a sense of order and flow. Entrances and stairwells, mostly on their original location are carefully positioned to ensure clear access throughout the buildings.
Connections within the structure are designed to provide easy movement between different areas, while maintaining a clear distinction between the various zones of the school. The connection to the central courtyard and external routes is integral to the design, allowing students and staff to access nature and outdoor spaces while it does not matter where you are in the building.
Teachers are placed centrally within the layout, ensuring they are always easily accessible to students while also having the quiet of an own homeroom that is not accessable for students.
A quiet top floor is dedicated to younger students that might need a more quiet surrounding, providing them with a peaceful environment they need for focused work. Additionally, a park situated high up on the campus offers students a place to retreat when seeking calm, while still maintaining a connection to nature.
Exterior materials
Entrace facade
Clear entrances
main entrance comes out of the building
secondary entrance falls into the building
Existing structure
parts of the existing facades remain the exisitng structure is still visible
Courtyard facade
Passing through
the buildign is cut open, connecting the front and the back
the different building parts are connected through pathways
the courtyard features outdoor spaces on all levels contact with nature is possible in different area’s, in different settings
Walking by
Park facade
Building identity
The new buildings have their own materials, standing out from the existing by not adding to much detail to the new, the old still has its place
Interacting with
the facade is also giving shelter by providing sitting elements the windows differ in dept, creating niches to retreat in
SITUATION chapter 6
A transformed building
The building on site, integrating the landscape with the building by cutting out three pathways in the building and letting the landscape flow through
A remaining building
Using the remaining building as the central area, and opening it up to the neighbourhood. The area is still connected through the landscape but seperated by the water
CONCLUSION chapter 7
4 Design principles for designing for HSP
Decentralization, inside-outside integration, shelter and choices
The highly sensitive schoolday: “A Learning Journey”
“An architectural journey of individual choice, connection with nature, shelter and decentralization. Designed for highly sensitive children, supporting the wellbeing of everyone”
Garden - arriving at school
Entrance - entering the homeroom
Den - finding your favourite space
Classroom A - following a lecture class
Classroom B - working individually in class
Square - working on your own projects
Courtyard - connecting with nature for concentration
Teachers square - finding the teacher at their own space
Arts Building - making your way to the arts class in the new building
SOURCES
Sources - interviews - books as indicated in introduction - personal experience - sources below
Commission:
Judith Korpershoek (m)
Examinators:
Jeanne Tan
Bart Bulter
Micha de Haas
Floris Hund