1076 ROCvA Zuidas

What is the future of the educational building? A new role of educational and cultural buildings is being considered in the ongoing transformation of our cities. Thus the school of the future will be urban and well positioned to engage at multiple levels at both the scale of the city and the scale of its immediate context. The school building must become (once again) a vital part of the city. Added to this development is an equally increasing demand to the performance of such buildings through added functionality, ensuring both their daily usage and future longevity. Commissioned in 2003 by the Regional Educational Centre of Amsterdam to continue researching a concept model for a 30,000 m2 multi-functional complex, what has since been named a ‘community college’. The location for this new community college is situated along the edge of the Netherlands largest inner city development project, the Zuidas. Characteristic for this development is the validation of the street through the transparent and mixed use character of the lower floors. Our proposal for the ROCvA ZuidAs creates a unique collection of buildings, due to the restraints of the site, into one multi-functional building. What is created is a sophisticated mix of program for both the school and the immediate surroundings, resulting in a new symbiosis for all parties involved. Underground parking was incorporated to meet the extra demands of the new Joop van den Ende Theatre on the site together with exhibition/conference facilities of the RAI. Added community based program throughout the building ensures the ongoing vitality of the builidng at night time and weekends.