Oldenije primary school
Jenaplan primary school Oldenije sits in the heart of Leeuwarden. The school has approximately 200 children who are divided over eight base groups and currently spread across two locations. This project will put an end to that situation. Once the expansion is complete, all children from the eight base groups will fit into the main building on St. Anthonystraat, allowing everyone to learn from each other and exchange knowledge. The main building will be preserved and reused. The aim is to keep the school in the city centre, as it is part of the basic facilities for a healthy living environment. This is in line with the policy of the Municipality of Leeuwarden.
Programme
Primary school
Architect
Gianni Cito
Team
Patrick de Weerd, Lennart Aben, Sanne Knoll
Year
2012 – 2023
Status
Completed
Location
Leeuwarden
Client
Proloog Foundation
Photographer
Thijs Wolzak
Landscape
Peetersendaan
Contractor
Bouwbedrijf de Vries
Beautiful city square
Currently, the school backs onto a cluttered city square, serving as both a playground and a loading zone for the live music stage. In addition to striking historic buildings, it is characterised by rear façades, temporary structures, and fences. In Gianni Cito’s design, the square is being transformed into a clearly defined outdoor space without backs. By positioning the school’s entrance directly on the square, it becomes a frontage. The school surrounds the square and children and parents become its main users. By removing the loading zone, a safe and intimate outdoor space is created, suddenly giving prominence to the old red beech tree.
Extension instead of new construction
The existing school building will be preserved and slightly modified to better accommodate the base group structure and to create a well-positioned central entrance facing the square. A new floor will be added on top of the former playroom, extending all the way to Sint Anthonystraat. The revised layout around the square opens up new opportunities—for instance, the church ‘De Romein’ could be repurposed as a theatre after the departure of the live music stage.