Torshavn Education Centre, Faroe Islands Building Project, News, Design, Image

Torshavn Development – Faroe Islands Education Centre

New Education Centre Building – design by BIG

19 Feb 2013

Torshavn Education Centre

Marknagil Education Center in Torshavn

The Marknagil Education Center will house three educational institutions under one roof.

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photos : Kári Mikkelsen/Landsverk©

Situated on a hillside in the outskirts of Torshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, the new Education Center will seek to establish synergies between the different educational programs placed within. Housing more than 1,200 students and 300 teachers the center is the largest educational building project in the country’s history, combining Faroe Islands Gymnasium, Torshavns Technical College and Business College of Faroe Islands in one building.

Integrating the dramatically sloped landscape, the project is designed as a vortex, radiating out toward the surrounding environment while at the same time focusing inward on the school’s inner landscape for learning. The three schools under one roof create the synergetic effect of a vertical campus where at the school’s heart an open rotunda space creates a natural gathering point across floor levels and academic interests.

As a functional sculpture formed by the schools internal needs the abundant surroundings of the Torshavn landscape provide a unique opportunity to shape the school from the inside out.

Previously:

14 Dec 2009

Faroe Islands Education Centre

Education Centre in Torshavn

BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group and a team of consultants win the largest ever commission on the Faroe Islands for a 19.200 m2 Education Centre in Torshavn.

Torshavn Education Centre Faroe Islands building

BIG, in collaboration with Fuglark, Lemming & Eriksson, Sámal Johannesen, Martin E. Leo and KJ Elrad design the new Education Centre in Marknagil situated on a hillside on the outskirts of Torshavn, to serve as a base for coordination and future development of all educational programmes in the region.

Torshavn Education Centre Faroe Islands building model

As the largest educational building project in the country’s history, the institution combines Faroe Islands Gymnasium, Torshavns Technical College and Business College of Faroe Islands in one building, housing 1.200 students and 300 teachers. The winning design was chosen among five submissions by an unanimous jury, comprised of an architect, representatives from the Ministry of Culture and Landsverk together with principals from each of the three schools and COWI.

Torshavn Education Centre Faroes building

“Ever since the first presentation, the team demonstrated a good grasp of the assignment. The design appeared clear and thought through already early in the process, with a good communication of the projects’ functionality.”
The Jury of the Faroe Islands Education Centre

Torshavn Education Centre building model

Vortex

Located on a hillside, 100 m above the sea level with a panoramic view overlooking the sea, mountains and harbour of Torshavn, the project is designed as a vortex, radiating out towards its surroundings while at the same time focusing in on the school’s inner landscape for learning the lessons of life. Each institution is organized as a school in a school with ideal conditions for each, while creating a sense of community for learning and life.

The generous surroundings provide unique opportunities to shape the school from the inside out – as a functional sculpture formed by the schools internal needs.

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Form follows Function
Each school will function independently comprising the space it requires with room to grow in the future. Additionally by combining the three schools under one roof they will create the synergetic effect of a vertical campus. At the school’s heart is an open rotunda space, creating a natural gathering point across floor levels and academic interests. A stepped interior reflects the undulating Faroese landscape with its alternating plateaus, stairwells and terraces serving different social and academic activities.

“The school is a pedagogical diagram turned in the form of a building in the open hilly landscape formed by the considerations to the internal functional needs rather than external limitations. The architectural expression of the new Education Centre in Marknagil captures the essence of: form follows function.”
Bjarke Ingels, Creative Director, BIG

“The architecture of the school emphasizes an educational equality, with lobbies and the central rotunda space promoting a sense of community across the three different schools.”
Jakup Pauli Johannesen, Partner, Fuglark Architects

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Faroe Islands Education Centre Torshavn – Building Information

Name: Faroe Islands Education Center
Client: Mentamalaradid (Ministry of Culture) / Landsverk
Collaborators: Fuglark, Lemming & Eriksson, Samal Johannesen, Martin E. Leo SP/F, KJ Elrad Radgevandi Verkfroedingar
Size: 19,200 m2

Partner‐In‐Charge: Bjarke Ingels
Project Leader: Finn Nørkjær
Project Architect: Ole Elkjaer Larsen
Team: Johan Cool, Ji-Young Yoon, Alessio Valmori, Alexandre Carpentier, Armen Menendian, Baptiste Blot, Camille Crepin, Christian Alvarez, Claudio Moretti, Daniel Pihl, David Zahle, Edouard Boisse, Elisha Nathoo, Enea Michelesio, Eskild Nordbud, Ewelina Moszczynska, Finn Nørkjær, Frederik Lyng, Gaetan Brunet, Goda Luksaite, Jakob Lange, Jakob Teglgård Hansen, Jan Besikov, Jan Kudlicka, Johan Cool, Kari-Ann Petersen, Krista Meskanen, Laura Youf, Long Zuo, Martin Cajade, Mikkel Marcker Stubgaard, Niklas Rausch, Oana Simionescu, Ole Elkjær-Larsen, Richard Howis, Takumi Iwasawa, Tiago Sá, Tobias Hjortdal, Xiao Xuan Lu.

Faroe Islands Education Centre images / information from BIG

BIG Architects

Location: Torshavn, Faroe Islands

Key Buildings by BIG

Glasir – Tórshavn College
Design: BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group
Glasir - Tórshavn College, Faroe Islands building by BIG architects
photo : Rasmus Hjortshoj
Glasir – Tórshavn College Faroe Islands

VM Mountain Dwellings

Shanghai Expo Pavilion

Faroe Islands Architecture – Design Competition

Klaksvík Design Competition, Faroe Islands
Open International Urban Design Contest
Faroe Islands
picture from organiser
Faroe Islands Architecture

Eysturkommuna Town Hall, Norðragøta, Eysturkommuna, Faroe Islands
Architects: Henning Larsen
Eysturkommuna Town Hall on the Faroe Islands
photo : Nic Lehoux
Eysturkommuna Town Hall

Northern European Buildings – Selection

Katuaq Culture Centre, Nuuk, Greenland
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Katuaq Culture Centre
photo : Joachim Ladefoged
Greenland Building

Arctic Culture Centre, Hammerfest, Finnmark county, northern Norway
a-lab
Arctic Culture Centre
picture from a-lab
Arctic Culture Centre

Cabin Inside-Out, Hvaler, Norway
Reiulf Ramstad Architects
Cabin Inside Out
photo : Kim Müller
Cabin Inside-Out

Bjarkes Ingels Group

Comments / photos for the Torshavn Education Centre Faroe Islands Architecture page welcome

Torshavn Education Centre Building

Website: http://www.landsverk.fo/