Certified sustainable school in Denmark

The first school in Denmark to receive the Nordic Swan eco label

Pioneering teaching facilities in the south of Denmark.

A small city in the south of Denmark is the lucky recipient of a new school that radiates creativity and high ambitions. The school is situated on the border between town and country-side, which is also reflected in the school’s aesthetics. The round, organic structure of the building with its green roof blends in well with the surrounding landscape, while a large welcome area opens towards the city of Sundby. The building is meant to support the idea of the school as a ‘community house’ that will be welcoming to locals and host activities.

As an added touch in the project’s detailed landscape architecture, the outdoor area contains a small lake that will be used for teaching purposes as well as rainwater management.

Cutting edge school design Central to the project’s uniqueness is the fact that it will be the first school in Denmark to receive the Nordic Swan Eco Label. Danish children spend about 11,000 hours attending school during their elementary education, a strong guarantee for a healthy and sustainable teaching environment is thus both welcome and important. Most Danes will recognise the swan from household products such as shampoos and laundry detergents. On these products, the swan indicates that the product is environmentally friendly and a healthy choice for the user.

The same holds true for swan-labelled building projects. Swan-labelled building projects enforce an optimal indoor climate and access to daylight while avoiding harmful substances in construction materials. The energy consumption must be significantly reduced and timber elements must be certified. All these requirements have an impact on the engineering tasks.

Multifunctionality To build schools is always an interesting discipline because of a school’s many distinct functions. These include everything from physics and chemistry labs to wood shops to the library. This school will also contain a professional kitchen in addition to home economics classrooms.

MOE is part of Artelia Group that recently launched a new mission called “Designing solutions for a positive life”. In this Profile, we dedicate a whole section to different projects that showcase how our expertise helps design solutions that support everyday life and existence.

THEME

DESIGNING SOLUTIONS FOR A POSITIVE LIFE

SUNDskolen Client Guldborsund Municipality Architect Henning Larsen Architects, ETN Architects and SKALA Architects Consultant Autens Developer Bo-hus © Sora

The ambition is that these facilities will be of use to both after school activities and the general community. Moreover, the school will get a custom-made section for students with special needs. From sports hall to concert hall Generally speaking, the building is designed to be flexible and to take the many different uses and changing needs into consideration. As an example, the music room can open towards the sports hall forming a stage with an appertaining backstage area.

The music room and sports hall are separated by an extra, portable sound-proof wall. The music room’s acoustics are designed to support both acoustic and electronically amplified music and will even have a rehearsal room that doubles as a sound studio. The design also needs to consider that the teacher’s area is located above the music rooms, explains Anna Clara, acoustic engineer on the project: The construction project has been characterised by its many exciting applications. Our professional expertise is important when you need to consider a peaceful coexistence between loud activities and rooms for concentration. As an example, the large outdoor area with its sound of running and playing children might prove to be a challenge, if the design does not incorporate this aspect.

Anna Clara Culmsée Bech Specialist Acoustics Copenhagen