02/05/2018
There were 116 entries for the Arch School Awards this year. An exceptionally high number of entries that reflects the exceptionally rich and numerous architectural projects of the last two years.
The Arch School Awards, an initiative of Edubuild, were presented this year by a jury comprising Belgian architects and representatives from GO!, Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen and AGION. Observers from NAV, BVA and AG Real Estate were also members of the selection jury. The jury chairman was Frederik Jacobs of Conix RDBM Architects.
This afternoon (Wednesday 2 May 2018), guests and nominees gathered for the awards ceremony, held for the last time at Hertog Jan.
Our satisfaction and pride continued to grow, to the point where we realised that in each of the three categories, a project by Scholen van Morgen had taken the top prize.
Philippe Monserez, Programme Director of Scholen van Morgen at AG Real Estate
The prize for the most successful school project in the ‘new build’ category went to Het Zandhofje in Zandhoven, a design by A33 architects. The jury praised the project’s sustainability and (multi)functionality. Moreover, the jury members were enthusiastic about the use of colour inside the school, which creates a variety of atmospheres whilst enhancing the building’s clarity and accessibility.
If we all pull together, the result is bound to be sublime.
Ludo Bekker & Toon Tweepenninckx, A33 architects
In the ‘renovation/extension’ category, the prize for the most successful school project went to BuBaO Sint-Lievenspoort in Ghent, a project by evr-Architecten in collaboration with Callebaut architects. The main reasons for the award were, once again, the project’s sustainability – the 19th-century monastery building was given a real new lease of life – together with the balance between new and old that was achieved. All this was done within the strict, imposed budget. Anyone who has already seen the photos of this project is probably not surprised.
We are absolutely delighted that everyone was on the same page during the realisation of this project.
Niels Baeck, evr-architecten
In the third and final category, for the most successful ‘future project’, the jury selected the Wilrijk Elite Sports Boarding School, by POLO architects. This project is currently in the planning permission phase, under the ‘Schools of Tomorrow’ scheme due to the VAT reduction on school construction. The jury valued the calming and intimate atmosphere within timeless yet fresh buildings. In this way, the boarding school will be able to provide a home for elite athletes in their stressful lives.
Surprisingly, an honourable mention was also awarded for the first time. The jury chose to name the VTI Brugge, a design by Van den Berg architects, as runner-up in the future project category. “We see the intention to build an intelligent ruin that fits within the industrial context and […] with the education that will be provided there,” said jury chairman Frederik Jacobs. Van den Berg architects received this honourable mention as encouragement, in the hope that the architectural firm’s intentions will be realised.
We would like to thank Edubuild wholeheartedly for organising this event, which was once again a great success. Thank you to the jury for the kind words and the encouragement for the future. And finally… thank you and congratulations to all the nominees, especially to ‘our’ 3 (or is it now 4?) winning architectural firms!