Råholt School / Kristin Jarmund Architects

Architects: Kristin Jarmund Architects
Location: Eidsvoll, Norway
Main architects: Kristin Jarmund siv. ark. MNAL with Leif Daniel Houck, siv. ark. MNAL, Kjell Kristian Karlsen, siv. ark. MNAL. Per-Olav Haugen siv. ark. MNAL, Trine Hjelle, int. ark. MNIL
Building type: Lower Secondary school, 13-15 yers, 420 students
Project scope: Invited competition, 1st prize, full contract
Client: Eidsvoll County
Size: 5,200 sqm
Budget: 120 mill NOK
SProject year: 2004
Photographs: Per Maning & Stian Wiik

Råholt school is set in a rural, agricultural landscape. The one-story glass pavilion is a 75 by 75 meters square. It is raised on a half-meter high platform and appears to hover above the surrounding fields. The entrance leads into an open-air atrium at the centre of the building. Four additional courtyards are cut into the structure. These inverse spaces allow for daylight to penetrate deep into the building.

model

Inside, the functions are given the design of a “village”. No corridors, but main streets, narrow paths, open squares, light wells and gardens. The central positioned auditoriums are designed as identifying objects that penetrate the roof as visual signals to the outside world.