Elementary school Wisperweide
Weesp / Amsterdam
Architects: Studio A Kwadraat + OMA // Project scope: 2,197 m² // Completion: 2025
Wisperweide is the first school to be built as part of the ‘Innovation Partnership School Buildings’ initiative for school buildings in Amsterdam. The aim is clear: to build quickly, remain affordable and, at the same time, create a learning environment that is sustainable and adapts to educational visions. The design comes from the renowned firms Studio A Kwadraat + OMA. With ‘Schools by CircleWood®’, we are realising this aim: fully prefabricated and industrially prepared. As a result, construction takes less than ten months.
The school building is Paris Proof, demountable and bio-based. It is a leading example of the circular ambitions and high sustainability goals of the city of Amsterdam.
The plug-and-play system (the HoutKern construction method) used by Schools by CircleWood® consists of standardised timber columns, cross-laminated timber floor panels, a proprietary intelligent steel joint and movable partition walls. Wisperweide uses the system to achieve maximum flexibility – now and in the future.
At the heart of the school lies the central hall: a place for learning, celebrating and socialising together. Surrounding it are the learning clusters for younger and older children, each with its own clearly identifiable entrance and outdoor area.
Transparent walls ensure visibility and interaction; wide, bright corridors convey the feeling of an extended classroom. Bio-based partition walls are movable and flexible in use: today a cupboard wall, tomorrow an exhibition space, next week a quiet area. And if the school grows? Then the north façade can be opened up and new classrooms can be added with ease.
The walls are clad with simple plasterboard panels, which form a calm base, but other materials are also possible. Depending on the area and school building, you can vary the colour schemes or even the material accents to suit the school’s identity. In this way, every environment truly becomes part of the school itself.
“You can tell that a lot of thought has gone into the acoustics; I hear that from the teachers too. This gives every child the space they need to learn. Here, it is quiet where it needs to be and lively where it is allowed to be. No noise disturbance when the doors are closed – it is truly remarkable what the acoustics do for the peace and quiet in the school.” Monica Groenendaal, Headteacher at Wisperweide.
“Wisperweide is much more than just a building. It is an inspiring place for children, providing fertile ground for the growth and development of our future generations. Our design promises a safe and vibrant environment for children, where they can learn and discover their unique potential."
Jimmy van der Aa, project architect at Studio A Kwadraat
Wisperweide School was built by Friso Bouwgroep.
CircleWood is part of Oosterhoff: a mix of creative start-ups and strong brands, including ABT, bbn, Huygen and Lüning, with over 600 innovators, designers, consultants, engineers, creators and pioneers who focus on creating social value. Through our involvement in over 300 schools, we bring together knowledge and more than 40 years of experience in timber construction under one roof.
Further information on CircleWood® and Schools by CircleWood® can be found at:
Would you like a healthy school building that fits your educational vision and is equipped for the future? Then please feel free to contact us:
Steffen Glück
+49 (0)173 154 76 45
Photos: Studio A Kwadraat & Ossip van Duivenbode
