© U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education has recently launched its Green Ribbon Schools initiative. The program is aimed at fostering the growth of sustainable indoor and outdoor environments in addition to promoting the integration of environmental curricula into the education stream. read more »

© Holmes

Holmes has submitted plans for a new flagship school in Erskine, Scotland. Park Mains High School for Renfrewshire Council will not only provide secondary education for the pupils of Erskine and the surrounding villages of Bishopton, Inchinnan and Langbank, but it’s innovative facilities will also be available, and integral, to the wider community.

The new £33 million school, which is due to start on site in January 2011, will accommodate 1400 pupils and 136 staff, and features teaching spaces arranged across 3 levels, as well as a range of enhanced PE facilities, including a four court Games Hall, Gymnasium, Dance Studio, and Fitness Suite with associated changing areas. A multi-use Assembly Hall with main stage and tiered stadium style seating has also been designed to accommodate local community activities including drama and theatre groups. read more »

With the right equipment, you can build a school anywhere. If you don’t think so, ask the children that goes every day to Mid-Cave Primary School. Built in 1984, this school sits in one of three caves inside a mountain.

Nowadays, it accomodates 186 students with a teaching force of 8 staff. Of course, this may not be the right conditions for a child to go to school, but personally, I think it’s better for a child to go and learn in a cave, rather that don’t go to school at all.

Seen at Chinese Lives. More images after the break. read more »

Architect: René van Zuuk Architekten
Location: Spikvoorde, Deventer, the Netherlands
Client: Landstad Projecten C.V.
Design Team: René van Zuuk, Kersten Scheller
Building Contractor: Nikkels bouwbedrijf bv /NL
Structural Ingeneering: Bartels Consulting Engineers, Apeldoorn/NL
Project Year: 2003-2005
Constructed Area: 2,150 sqm
Photographs: Christian Richters

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Architects: Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Architects MNAL
Location: Oslo, Norway
Client: Oslo International School
Design Team: Einar Jarmund, Håkon Vigsnæs, Alessandra Kosberg, Siv Hofsøy, Anders Granli, Halvor Kloster, Katrine Skavlan, Nikolaj Zamecznik, Kazuhiko Yamada, Trine Johanne Jamtli
Landscape Architect: Grindaker AS
Consultants: AS Frederiksen (structure), Ingénia AS / Ing. Per Rasmussen AS / Heiberg & Tveter AS (Mechanical), NEAS Brannconsult AS (Fire), Norconsult AS (Acoustics)
Contractor: Oslo Byggentreprenør AS
Project Year: 2006-2009
New Structure Area: 3,900 sqm
Refurbishment Area: 3,300 sqm
Photographs: Ivan Brodey

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Architects: Studio Granda
Location: Reykjavík, Iceland
Client: City of Reykjavík
Structural Engineers: VSÓ
Electrical Engineers: VJÍ
Contractor: Trésmiðjan Borg
Service Engineers: VGK
Project Year: 2004
Photographs: Studio Granda

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The Open Architecture Challenge is an open, international design competition and is hosted every two years on the Open Architecture Network. This year, the challenge invites architects, designers, students, teachers and parents to propose the classroom of the future. Anyone can participate and the winner will receive $50,000 for their school.

Architect: Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Location: Silkeborg, Denmark
Ingeneering: The DAI Group
Contractor: SKANSKA Danmark A/S
Project Year: 2005
Construction Year: 2006-2007
Constructed Area: 3,700 sqm
Photographs: SHL

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Architect: Giancarlo Mazzanti
Location: Bogota, Colombia
Collaborators: Andrés Sarmiento, Juan Manuel Gil, Gina Amado, María Constanza Saade, Carlos Melo, Alberto Aranda, Ana María González, Jorge Gómez, Manuel Mendoza, Edgar Mazo
Project Year: 2004
Construction Year: 2008
Photographs: Sergio Gómez, Veronica Restrepo

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Architects: Atelier Phileas (member of PLAN01)
Location: Dammarie-les-Lys, France
Client: Région Ile-de-France
Programme: Asbestos removal, heavy restructuration, extension of the workshops while in use, with temporary buildings
Consultant: ARCADIS
Renovation Area: 3,100 sqm
Extension Area: 1,030 sqm
Project year: 2007
Photographer: Stephan Lucas

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Architect: Bevk Perović arhitekti
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Project Team: Matija Bevk, Vasa J. Perović, Nika Prešeren, Robert Loher, Maja Valič
Project year: 2002 – 2004
Construction year: 2004 – 2006
Client: University of Ljubljana
Site Area: 5,000 sqm
Photographs: Miran Kambič

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Architects: Felipe Artengo, Fernando Menis, José Maria Rodriguez Pastrana
Location: Lercaro Urbanization, La Orotava, Spain
Architecture team: Felipe Artengo Rufino, Fernando Martín Menis, José Mª Rodríguez Pastrana Malagón
Furniture: Rafael Hernández Hernández, Andrés Pedreño Vega
Engineering: Martín Díaz
Structure Engineering: Arcal
Contractor: Construcciones Rodríguez Mesa
Client: Consejería de Educación, Cultura y Deportes del Gobierno de Canarias
Photographs: Hisao Suzuki & Miguel de Guzman

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Architect: Jordi Badia
Location: c/Roger de Flor 123, Granollers, Spain
Project: 2003
Construction: 2006
Collaborators: Jordi Framis, Daniel Guerra, Marcos Catalán, Sergi Serrat
Structure: Eduard Doce, architect
Technical Architect: INYPSA. Antonio Leciñena, Joan Vilanova
Mesures and budgets: Francesc Xairó
Services: Consulting Lluís Duart
Client: GISA, Gestió d’infraestructures S.A. Departament d’Ensenyament
Photographs: Pedro Pegenaute

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Architects: Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Architects MNAL / Einar Jarmund & Håkon Vigsnæs
Location: Oslo, Norway
Design Period: 1998-2000
Construction period: 2000-2001
Collaborators: Harald B. Lode, Alessandra Kosberg, Elina Fürst, Christian Dahle, Jan Aasgaard Stavik, Trond Olav Erga
Client: Statsbygg / Directorate of Public Construction and Property
Interior Desgin: Jarmund/Vigsnæs AS Architects MNAL, Nina Stokset Nilsen
Landscape Architect: Grindaker A/S
Contractor: AF Ragnar Evensen
Structural Engineer: AS Frederiksen
Electrical Engineer: Kaare Skallerud A.S
Mecanical Engineer: Ingénia AS
Acoustic Engineer: Brekke & Strand Akustikk AS
Gross Area: 10.900 sqm
Photographs: Nils Petter Dale

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Architects: José Cadilhe (Cadilhe & Fontoura – Arq., Lda)
Location: Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal
Project year: 2006
Construction Period: 2006 – 2007
Client: Município da Póvoa de Varzim
Contractor: DIVA, Decorações, Construção Civil e Obras Públicas, Lda.
Constructed Area: 242 sqm
Photographs: FG+SG | Fotografia de Arquitectura

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Architects: Carroquino Finner Arquitectos - Santiago Carroquino Larraz, Hans Finner
Location: c/ de la Iglesia, Sta Isabel neighborhood, Zaragoza, Spain
Project year: 2005
Construction year: 2006-2007
Collaborators: Juan José Vera Villamayor /Jeronimo Moya/ Lara Gimenez Albero
Services: TRAGSA / Ingeniería Pilar Peco
Client: Ayuntamiento de Zaragoza, Suelo y Vivienda de Aragón
Contractor: Agraconsa
Photographs: Lluis Casals

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Architect: Erick Van Egeraat
Program: Educational building for vocational education, including sports facilities
Location: Doetinchem, Netherlands
Client: Stichting CoVoa, Doetinchem
Constructed Area: 16.400sqm
Construction start: 2004
Completion: 2006
Structures: ABT-C, Delft
Landscape: Poldergast, Polsbroek
Photography: Christian Richters

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