Designed by Delft-based cepezed and cepezedinterior, the Technova College in Ede has recently opened its doors as the newest branch of the Regional Education Center ROC A12 with a strong focus on sustainability. Powered by energy from a biomass plant and on-site solar panels, the nearly energy-neutral building largely owes its eco-friendly design to an executive consortium (Team Technova) responsible for overseeing maintenance and the energy supply. The school’s highly transparent design fills the interiors with light and turns the building into a showcase for the neighborhood.
Completed this fall, the Technova College began with the dismantlement of a couple of older buildings on the ROC campus as well as the seamless integration of a single existing structure into the new-build. The various classrooms are organized around a double-height space referred to as the “innovative workplace” that sits at the heart of the school, along with reception. A college theater is located adjacent to the central workshop. All areas are designed to promote collaboration and interaction for not only the students but the surrounding community as well. The glazed facade that surrounds the ground-floor work spaces allows direct views of the student activity inside.
For the interiors, cepezedinterior used a material palette of wood and steel along with strong color accents to create a robust, industrial atmosphere to complement the departments of Technique & Technology, Media & ICT and Sound & Vision. “We wanted a building which empowers great education,” said Toine Schinkel, member of the board of directors of the Christelijke Onderwijs Groep (COG) that commissioned the building. “With this design, we will create an innovative and enjoyable learning environment for all our technical students. We aspire students to aim for the best, and this calls for an innovative and modern educational building.”
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In addition to solar panels, the energy-efficient school building draws energy from a nearby biomass plant in Ede and is designed for natural ventilation that meets the standards of the ‘Frisse Scholen Klasse B’ (Fresh Schools, category B). “Join the Pipe” water fountains were installed throughout to deter the use of PET bottles.
Photography by Lucas van der Wee via cepezed
