GBS Wevelgem

The new sports hall and refectory for GBS Wevelgem are conceived as a compact school building integrated within the urban fabric and playground landscape. By stacking the programme and positioning the building along the street edge, the project maximises outdoor play space and creates a climate-adaptive playground. The building forms a clear and recognisable volume that relates to the surrounding typologies while remaining open towards the school grounds. Flexible interior spaces, a covered outdoor area and nature-inclusive landscaping support play, learning and everyday school life.

A School Building for Play, Learning and Community

The project for GBS Wevelgem introduces a new sports hall and refectory designed to support both the everyday needs of the school and the broader social life of the community. The building provides spaces for sport, gathering and shared activities while strengthening the spatial identity of the school site.

Rather than being conceived as a single functional hall, the project positions the building as an open and adaptable structure connected to the playground landscape. The architecture supports movement, play and social interaction while responding to contemporary expectations of sustainability and flexibility.

A Building Rooted in the Urban Fabric

The design begins with a careful reading of the surrounding urban environment. The scale and character of the building draw from the typologies along the Vanackerestraat–Kortrijkstraat axis. Instead of imposing a large institutional volume, the project adopts the clarity of a single compact house-like structure integrated within the school grounds.

The horizontal articulation of the building reflects the surrounding streetscape, creating a clear distinction between ground level and the upper volume. Within this composition the sports hall and refectory are expressed as two identifiable programme elements.

Placed along the edge of the playground and aligned with the surrounding buildings, the structure frames the school yard and strengthens the relationship between street and school site.

Flexibility Through Open Structure

The spatial organisation is guided by three principles: spatial freedom, exchangeability and smart stacking. Large column-free floor fields allow spaces to be configured and reconfigured over time.

The sports hall and refectory function both independently and together, allowing the building to accommodate school activities as well as external use without interfering with the daily functioning of the school. Shared facilities and adaptable spaces optimise the footprint and increase usability throughout the day.

Stacking the programme reduces the built surface and frees space for outdoor play and gathering areas.

Compact Volume and Covered Play

The building is conceived as a detached volume with a sloping roof that relates to the surrounding residential typologies while accommodating the spatial requirements of the sports hall.

By placing the structure partially above a covered outdoor zone, the project creates an additional sheltered playground beneath the building. This space acts as an extension of the playground and connects directly with the refectory, allowing indoor and outdoor activities to overlap.

The architectural expression remains clear and robust, emphasising spatial clarity and adaptability.

A Climate Playground

The playground is redesigned as a climate-responsive landscape. Instead of a fully paved yard, the project introduces vegetation, shaded zones and permeable surfaces that improve comfort and biodiversity.

These interventions create a series of microclimates that reduce overheating and support ecological diversity while offering varied play environments for children.

The playground flows underneath and around the building, forming a three-dimensional play landscape that encourages exploration and movement.

Compact, Biobased and Low-Tech

Sustainability is addressed through compact construction, adaptable spatial organisation and durable materials. Stacking the programme reduces the building footprint and increases permeable surfaces on the site.

Material choices prioritise biobased and locally sourced materials where possible. Timber façade systems, green roofs and prefabricated components reduce environmental impact while supporting efficient construction.

Together these strategies create a robust school building capable of adapting to evolving educational needs over time.