Max Havelaarweg 53, Hoogvliet
Education is strongly focused on the individual student at a training college. A small and safe environment is of great importance for this particular target group. VMX Architects has designed an expansion for the Accent Vocational Centre that is based on this idea. The first phase of this multi-year development consisted of a compact two-storey building containing all the practice rooms (such as an engineering workshop, beauty salon and shop).
In order to simulate real workplace conditions as closely as possible, these areas are furnished as workspaces and not as neutral classrooms. This is also visible in the facade through the large shop windows along the street and high industrial doors that lead to the outdoor workshop (used for construction activities). Offices, staff and creative workspaces are situated on the upper level, where the light mainly enters through skylights. This aluminium-finished storey sits crown-like on the glass lower level. With its transparent ground floor, this building explicitly relates to its environment. Its large garage doors practically turn it into an outdoor school where the students – although still completing their education - already find themselves in the middle of society so to speak. Furthermore, the shiny crown-shaped storey contributes to enhancing the image of vocational education and in doing so stimulates the student’s self-esteem.
Client: Ontwikkelingsbedrijf Rotterdam
Location: Hoogvliet
Size: 2.200 m2
Design: 2010-2011
Execution: 2011-2012
Costs: 1 mln. euro
Contractor: Capelse Streekbouw
Photo: Primabeeld - Marcel van der Burg
Name of the building
Max Havelaarweg 53, Hoogvliet
Client, architect or builder
VMX Architects
