X11

In the development of Merwede into a vibrant urban district, the focus is on innovative sustainability, greenery and biodiversity, smart solutions for mobility and energy, diversity in programming, and space for social interaction. The design for X11 reinforces these ambitions and translates them into spatial terms: a sustainable and circular school building that combines social design and healthy urban living.

In keeping with the rhythm of the buildings in Merwede, the large volume for X11 has been divided up. Two educational wings are connected by a wedge-shaped, transparent core with a spectacular staircase. The wings are constructed in a rational circular concrete structure, which is both robust and flexible in use, now and in the future. The central entrance and the social, connecting heart of the complex are distinguished by their timber frame construction and bio-based materials.

The surfaces in the school’s grid facade are layered and varied, tailored to their place in the construction, the program behind them, and the human scale. Each variant is executed with circular and biobased materials. The result is a unique rhythm, a graphic pattern that matches the character of this school for media and design.

The plinth of X11 will connect the school with the neighborhood. Large hangar doors and canopies make the building inviting and give it an active, urban character.
At the heart of the building block is a large sports hall, with a bicycle parking facility underneath and, above it, 12.8 meters above ground level, a roof park with a playground for the school. This roof plaza is also accessible to the neighborhood via an elegant staircase.