A unique commission: to design a complex for special education, care and sport in which the senses of children with language development disorders take centre stage, including those who are hard of hearing or deaf. Sight and light are therefore the essential elements in the design of the new Auris site. In Utrecht, Auris brings together an integrated centre of expertise comprising four parts of the organisation: education, care, outpatient services and a training centre.
The acoustic trio of ‘quiet-noise- commotion’ is often used in the design of schools. But at Auris, this gradation in sound levels forms the starting point. At its heart and in the playroom, there is space for commotion; the meeting areas of the various clusters, where groups work together, are intended for noise; in the classrooms and workspaces of each cluster, calm prevails. The zones offer choices for pupils and clarity for care and education staff.
The complex comprises three stepped storeys connected by a full-height atrium. This central space features skylights through which daylight reaches the heart of the building, extending into the rooms on the upper floors that adjoin this space and even into the underground car park. Conversely, the light from the clusters creates a natural pull, a natural invitation to gravitate towards this gathering place.
Around the atrium, interconnected open spaces on the upper floors form intermediate zones. In the hall, one spiral staircase (with a bookcase) leads upwards, whilst a second (with plants) leads down to the underground car park with a drop-off zone.
Inside, the layout is clear at a glance. In every corner of the open space, a passageway leads to a cluster, each with its own colour scheme and icons.
These clusters, in turn, also have a central meeting area around which work, learning and play areas are organised; these are on a small scale as they are designed for the youngest groups.
The garden surrounding Auris extends right into the spaces between the clusters. Surrounded by plants and trees, the spaces take on the atmosphere of pavilions set amidst greenery. Each room also has a large window with a bench – as if you were sitting outside.
All round, the building sections are linked by a concrete pergola, a structure that creates a gradual transition from outside to inside and back again.
The underground car park and the two sports halls are also accessible from the outside.
The façade of Auris’ ground floor is built in relief with red brick; the pergola and window frames are finished in a warm red colour. In contrast, the façades on the upper floors are clad in light-coloured stone with light-coloured joints, so that they almost seem to fade into the background on cloudy days.
The roofs of the set-backs provide space for terraces and gardens, allowing the surrounding greenery to extend right up to and over the building, with Auris acting as a link in the green structure of Overvecht.
To enhance site-specific biodiversity, a package of measures has been drawn up in line with the objectives of ‘The City of Utrecht’s Development Plan’. This involves continuing existing green infrastructure and adapting building-related facilities to support flora and fauna.
The development of a design for this ‘uni-site’ is a collaboration between the Royal Auris Group, the Municipality of Utrecht, local residents, and NEXT architects, CCO Architects and Delva Landscape Architects.
