Planners in China, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and other spots worldwide that have not been known in modern times for their stunning architecture, are changing how the world perceives their nations and towns. Through eye-catching, architectural principals-defying structures, these spots and other more remote ones are becoming destination points for architecture.
So, move over UAE, with your tall skyscrapers housing financial companies and your sleek urban spots. Make room for the newest, shiniest architectural gem—the Glasir-Torshavn College school building complex, in the Faroe Islands.
“This building gives us all the conditions we need to succeed. It is now our responsibility to get as much as possible from this fantastic environment. We are certain that our new surroundings will have a great impact on how teachers will teach and how students will learn,” says Bogi Bech, CEO, Glasir.
The 206,000-sf vortex-shaped education center connects three schools under one roof. Set on a hillside by the Atlantic Ocean, the building brings together the Faroe Islands Gymnasium, Tórshavn Technical College and the Business College. Bjarke Ingels Group won the design competition, along with Lemming & Eriksson, Fuglark Architects, Sámal Johannesen, Martin E. Leo and KJ Elrad.
See Also: Bjarke Ingels Group creates 66 homes for low-income citizens in Copenhagen
Glasir officials said the idea behind the design concept was to retain the separate identities of the schools while fostering collaboration. The structure is meant to be an incubator for innovation.
The new building is comprised of a stack of five separate floors that wrap around a central courtyard. The building is designed as if it were a vortex, with each level opening and the top levels radiating outwards.
Part of the point is to connect the students, academics, the school building complex, and wind-swept, seabird-filled picturesque Faroese landscape. The islands are a destination point for bird-watchers and other nature lovers. And now, perhaps, for even more lovers of learning.
"Inspired by the dramatic Faroese topography, Glasir is designed like a landscape for learning: the central space of the school is conceived as a topographical interpretation of the natural landscape — a continuous terraced terrain with steps and staircases that connect across several levels and merge the multistory building into a single entity," says Bjarke Ingels, Founder & Creative Director, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group.
Related Stories
Education Facilities | Aug 20, 2018
More districts are reusing empty offices, stores, and other buildings to upgrade their schools
Older schools, with their small windows and rooms and creaky infrastructure, are tough and expensive to retrofit.
Education Facilities | Aug 14, 2018
Making schools more secure is imperative, but how best to do that isn't settled yet
In the first 21 weeks of 2018 alone, there were 23 school shootings where someone was killed or injured, according to CNN.
Education Facilities | Aug 13, 2018
Is STEM running out of steam?
Has STEM, which the business community urged school districts to embrace, been oversold as a career path?
Education Facilities | Aug 7, 2018
High-tech instruction space trains students in manufacturing robots
Harley Ellis Devereaux served as lead designer and lab planner for the project.
Modular Building | Aug 2, 2018
Educare Center in Long Beach uses modular construction to cut costs without sacrificing space or amenities
Dougherty was the Architect-of-Record.
Education Facilities | Jul 11, 2018
Why school architects must understand how students learn
Would instruction be more effective if students spent less time passively listening to lectures and more time actively learning through activities, discussions, and group work?
Education Facilities | Jul 6, 2018
Building for growth: Supporting gender-specific needs in middle school design
Today, efforts toward equity in education encompass a wide spectrum of considerations including sex, gender identity, socio-economic background, and ethnicity to name a few.
University Buildings | Jul 5, 2018
Brown University’s Engineering Research Center increases the university’s School of Engineering lab space by 30%
KieranTimberlake designed the facility and Shawmut Design and Construction was the general contractor.
University Buildings | Jul 2, 2018
Columbus State Community College’s new hospitality management and culinary arts building breaks ground
DesignGroup is the architect for the project.
Education Facilities | Jul 2, 2018
California High School renovates classrooms to meet the resurgence of Career Technical Education
Tangram Interiors handled the remodeling project.