Albertschool

The early 20^th-century school has been used by the Centrum voor Basiseducatie (Centre for Basic Education) since 2018. The institution offers a special type of adult education that bridges the gap between low and highly skilled individuals through education and training. Architectuuratelier Dertien12 faced the challenge of renovating this listed building and making it ready for contemporary education. There are four classrooms adjacent to each other along a wide corridor on each of the three levels and there is a staircase at each end. The architects are renovating the spaces in the school building in a modest but intelligent way. For example, the new lighting is concealed on existing beams and an ingenious detail has been added in the courtyard, where invisible grids around the skylights ventilate the entire space. The historical value of the spaces remains intact, without sacrificing on comfort. The reception area has a sober colour palette that matches the rest of the building. The architects have also given the hidden courtyard a fresh feel with brightly coloured tiles. The attic, which used to be inaccessible, now functions as a landscape office for the teachers. Again, technical gadgets have been subtly concealed in order to show off the entire historical roof structure. As there were no existing stairs, the architects opted for a clear contrast between old and new. The white stairs appear to float within the stairwell. It is a fragment of exuberance within a reverent renovation.

This project was opened on the occasion of the 2019 Day of Architecture. The text is based on a contribution by Lisbeth Decloedt.