ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
A combination of rammed earth and reinforced concrete construction, supplemented by pre-manufactured elements brought to the site from Algiers, informs this largely underground elementary school in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Excavated materials create a small mountaintop outdoor classroom giving these small children commanding views of their city, and the recessed garden offers an oasis to encourage protected outdoor activity.
ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
The recessed garden of this elementary school offers an oasis to encourage protected outdoor activity. To reduce cost, the kitchen is supplemented by a multipurpose room and outdoor seating rather than the more typical cafeteria. All school meetings are supported by a central amphitheater configured to encourage public speaking and debates.
ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
The outdoor classroom perched on a small "mountain" of excavated materials supports reading and storytelling while giving young children commanding views of their city.
ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
Without the opportunity to explore alternative learning environments, the school still relies on traditional classrooms. The classrooms are built underground to respond to climatic extremes, and are configured around a central courtyard so that students are exposed to higher grades and encouraged to support lower grades, in a way that dead-end double-loaded corridors do not allow.
ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
A combination of rammed earth and reinforced concrete construction, supplemented by pre-manufactured elements brought to the site from Algiers, informs this largely underground elementary school in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Excavated materials create a small mountaintop outdoor classroom giving these small children commanding views of their city, and the recessed garden offers an oasis to encourage protected outdoor activity.
ecole "le jardin"
commun tamanrasset
algerie
2014
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, imagine RED
The school centers underground classrooms on an oasis-like central courtyard that serves as tutoring space, outdoor classroom, amphitheater, lunchroom and occasional play area. Playgrounds are located above the classrooms, and a small entry building houses administration and an apartment for a family of four. Rooms around the courtyard are based strictly on a classroom module to allow for classroom use should the school population expand in the future.
St. Gregory College Preparatory School
Tucson, Arizona
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
This investigation of the St. Gregory campus identified areas of disfunction, areas requiring maintenance, and areas suitable for reconfiguration, positing strategies for future expansion. A number of different scenarios were modelled and analyzed to understand how they responded to the opportunities and constraints as well as their potential impact on the operation of the school.
St. Gregory College Preparatory School
Tucson, Arizona
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
This investigation of the St. Gregory campus identified areas of disfunction, areas requiring maintenance, and areas suitable for reconfiguration, positing strategies for future expansion. A number of different scenarios were modelled and analyzed to understand how they responded to the opportunities and constraints as well as their potential impact on the operation of the school.
St. Gregory College Preparatory School
Tucson, Arizona
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
This investigation of the St. Gregory campus identified areas of disfunction, areas requiring maintenance, and areas suitable for reconfiguration, positing strategies for future expansion. A number of different scenarios were modelled and analyzed to understand how they responded to the opportunities and constraints as well as their potential impact on the operation of the school.
St. Gregory College Preparatory School
Tucson, Arizona
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
This investigation of the St. Gregory campus identified areas of disfunction, areas requiring maintenance, and areas suitable for reconfiguration, positing strategies for future expansion. A number of different scenarios were modelled and analyzed to understand how they responded to the opportunities and constraints as well as their potential impact on the operation of the school.
Tucson Waldorf School
Tucson, Arizona
Early Childhood Classrooms, Elementary and Middle School Classrooms, Auditorium/Gymnasium, Administrative Offices, Outdoor Classrooms and Play Areas
Construction Cost: $5M
Size: 27,000 SF
Designers: Polly Dithmer, Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: ABA Architects, PC
“As with any true professional, Roel is a pleasure to work with. His dedication to the work was excellent and went well beyond what could reasonably be expected. Roel is a creative problem solver, and is very easy to work with. I wouldn’t hesitate to work with Roel again.”
David Parsons, Project Manager
Tucson Waldorf School
Tucson Waldorf School
Tucson, Arizona
Early Childhood Classrooms, Elementary and Middle School Classrooms, Auditorium/Gymnasium, Administrative Offices, Outdoor Classrooms and Play Areas
Construction Cost: $5M
Size: 27,000 SF
Designers: Polly Dithmer, Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: ABA Architects, PC
The donation of a 10 acre site just north of the city afforded the Tucson Waldorf School an opportunity to realize a complete purpose-designed campus for the first time in its history. The site straddled two floodplains, a historic landscape district and a scenic corridor, layering substantive constraints on the design. The
school also aspired to ground-breaking sustainable design, setting their sights on a carbon-neutral project.
The resulting design establishes a series of islands connected with bridges, each island hosting a programmatic cluster. Views to the mountains are carefully framed, sun and shade are carefully modulated and permaculture gardens are fully integrated into the design. Buildings are heavily insulated and carefully daylit, with
oversized ceiling fans to minimize air conditioning. Canopies and roofs support the infrastructure to capture solar energy to
ultimately deliver a carbon neutral project.
Tucson Waldorf School
Tucson, Arizona
Early Childhood Classrooms, Elementary and Middle School Classrooms, Auditorium/Gymnasium, Administrative Offices, Outdoor Classrooms and Play Areas
Construction Cost: $5M
Size: 27,000 SF
Designers: Polly Dithmer, Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: ABA Architects, PC
The donation of a 10 acre site just north of the city afforded the Tucson Waldorf School an opportunity to realize a complete purpose-designed campus for the first time in its history. The site straddled two floodplains, a historic landscape district and a scenic corridor, layering substantive constraints on the design. The
school also aspired to ground-breaking sustainable design, setting their sights on a carbon-neutral project.
The resulting design establishes a series of islands connected with bridges, each island hosting a programmatic cluster. Views to the mountains are carefully framed, sun and shade are carefully modulated and permaculture gardens are fully integrated into the design. Buildings are heavily insulated and carefully daylit, with
oversized ceiling fans to minimize air conditioning. Canopies and roofs support the infrastructure to capture solar energy to
ultimately deliver a carbon neutral project.
Tucson Waldorf School
Tucson, Arizona
Early Childhood Classrooms, Elementary and Middle School Classrooms, Auditorium/Gymnasium, Administrative Offices, Outdoor Classrooms and Play Areas
Construction Cost: $5M
Size: 27,000 SF
Designers: Polly Dithmer, Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: ABA Architects, PC
Early Childhood Cluster
Recognizing that children love to occupy corners, and cognizant as well of Anthroposophy wariness about right angles, the Early Childhood Cluster was imagined as a series of hexagonal rooms embracing play areas for different age groups. Extensive canopies extend the classrooms outward.
R.J.Grey Junior High School
Acton, Massachusetts
Renovations and Additions
160,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
"Roel served as Project Manager on two projects for our school district. His hard work brought both projects in on-time and on-budget; particularly, a multi-phased Middle School add/reno that was a tremendous challange to us...thirteen phases in an occupied building and never missed a minute of school time!"
George Frost, Superintendent, Acton Public Schools
R.J.Grey Junior High School
Acton, Massachusetts
Renovations and Additions
160,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
"Roel served as Project Manager on two projects for our school district. His hard work brought both projects in on-time and on-budget; particularly, a multi-phased Middle School add/reno that was a tremendous challange to us...thirteen phases in an occupied building and never missed a minute of school time!"
George Frost, Superintendent, Acton Public Schools
R.J.Grey Junior High School
Acton, Massachusetts
Renovations and Additions
160,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Diagram showing new additions to the 1950's era building, eliminating dead-end corridors, creating a new and functional domed entrance, and adding a new administrative wing, gym and classrooms.
R.J.Grey Junior High School
Acton, Massachusetts
Renovations and Additions
160,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Diagram showing organization of the completed school into teams congregated around centers, a method devised to break down the scale of this very large school and improve the environment for both teachers and students.
New Twin Elementary School
Acton, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
With two aging elementary schools requiring simultaneous renovation, the Town of Acton sought cost effective strategies
that would minimize disruption to the educational system. The proposal for a new “twin” school sharing cafetorium, library
and gymnasium utilized existing school campus land, minimized cost, solved phasing and disruption concerns and required
no programmatic compromises.
Classrooms and administrative functions are clustered around the shared functions for a compact footprint, and the school is divided into 2 wings expressive of the 2 schools within. Cognizant of the
relationship between daylight and school performance, every space in the building receives natural daylight. The result is in an uncommonly bright environment.
Voter approval was immediate, the $15M, 150,000gsf facility was constructed in 20 months, and the building opened in 2000.
New Twin Elementary School
Acton, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
View of entry lobby and stair.
With two aging elementary schools requiring simultaneous renovation, the Town of Acton sought cost effective strategies that would minimize disruption to the educational system. The proposal for a new “twin” school sharing cafetorium, library and gymnasium utilized existing school campus land, minimized cost, solved phasing and disruption concerns and required no programmatic compromises.
Classrooms and administrative functions are clustered around the shared functions for a compact footprint, and the school is divided into 2 wings expressive of the 2 schools within. Cognizant of the relationship between daylight and school performance, every space in the building receives natural daylight. The result is in an uncommonly bright environment.
Voter approval was immediate, the $15M, 150,000gsf facility was constructed in 20 months, and the building opened in 2000.
New Twin Elementary School
Acton, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Project Manager: Roel Krabbendam
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Clockwise from top left: Library, Kindergarten Classroom, Cafetorium, Gymnasium.
With two aging elementary schools requiring simultaneous renovation, the Town of Acton sought cost effective strategies
that would minimize disruption to the educational system. The proposal for a new “twin” school sharing cafetorium, library
and gymnasium utilized existing school campus land, minimized cost, solved phasing and disruption concerns and required
no programmatic compromises.
Classrooms and administrative functions are clustered around the shared functions for a compact footprint, and the school is divided into 2 wings expressive of the 2 schools within. Cognizant of the
relationship between daylight and school performance, every space in the building receives natural daylight. The result is in an uncommonly bright environment.
Voter approval was immediate, the $15M, 150,000gsf facility was constructed in 20 months, and the building opened in 2000.
Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School
Hopedale, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School
Hopedale, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School
Hopedale, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School
Hopedale, Massachusetts
150,000sf
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Newburyport High School
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Newburyport High School
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Newburyport High School
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Architect of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
The Berkshire School
Sheffield, Massachusetts
New Construction
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) Inc.
This private school is located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. The firm collaborated with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to specify furniture and develop subtle interior finish palettes to highlight the architecture and the magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. The design sought to balance contemporary usage with a traditional architecture by keeping the interiors very straight-forward. A 300 seat dining hall, living areas, a game room and space for student groups
received simple, durable wood furniture, and all surfaces were kept quite neutral in tone.
The Berkshire School
Sheffield, Massachusetts
New Construction
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) Inc.
This private school is located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. The firm collaborated with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to specify furniture and develop subtle interior finish palettes to highlight the architecture and the magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. The design sought to balance contemporary usage with a traditional architecture by keeping the interiors very straight-forward. A 300 seat dining hall, living areas, a game room and space for student groups
received simple, durable wood furniture, and all surfaces were kept quite neutral in tone.
The Berkshire School
Sheffield, Massachusetts
New Construction
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) Inc.
This private school is located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. The firm collaborated with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to specify furniture and develop subtle interior finish palettes to highlight the architecture and the magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. The design sought to balance contemporary usage with a traditional architecture by keeping the interiors very straight-forward. A 300 seat dining hall, living areas, a game room and space for student groups
received simple, durable wood furniture, and all surfaces were kept quite neutral in tone.
The Berkshire School
Sheffield, Massachusetts
New Construction
Interior Designer: Polly Dithmer
Office of Record: Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) Inc.
This private school is located in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. The firm collaborated with Architectural Resources Cambridge (ARC) to specify furniture and develop subtle interior finish palettes to highlight the architecture and the magnificent views of the surrounding landscape. The design sought to balance contemporary usage with a traditional architecture by keeping the interiors very straight-forward. A 300 seat dining hall, living areas, a game room and space for student groups
received simple, durable wood furniture, and all surfaces were kept quite neutral in tone.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Chelmsford High School Site Plan
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Chelmsford High School Building Plans
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Chelmsford High School Phasing Plans
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
New McCarthy Middle School Site Plan
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
New McCarthy Middle School Building Plans
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Parker Middle School Renovations/Additions Site Plan
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Chelmsford Public Schools
Middle and Senior High School Feasibility Study
2002
Project Architect and Study Author: Roel Krabbendam
Office of Record: The Office of Michael Rosenfeld, Inc.
Parker Middle School Renovations/Additions Building Plans
This exhaustive public schools feasibility study examined 2 aging middle schools and a high school in order to develop appropriate facility planning strategies. Complete existing facilities investigations, exhaustive cost reduction options development including 9 strategies to reorganize and economize team teaching, 11 conceptual building scenarios and a complete schematic design with phasing plans and cost estimates completed the study. Project costs came to $110M for three schools, combining renovations, additions and new construction, funding through a combination of state disbursement and municipal bonds.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
Malama Learning Center
Kapolei High School
Kapolei, Hawai'i
2003
Architect: Roel Krabbendam, Imagine RED
Learning from our residential work in Hawai'i, this competition entry for a conservation learning center and performing arts facility on the island of Oahu responded to the tropical climate by pulling apart the program into thin building slivers that could be opened to the breeze to maximize ventilation.
Other strategies include lifting buildings off the ground, collecting rainwater for cooling and irrigation and maximizing exterior circulation.
Separating the building into thin slivers had the added benefit of defining gardens between structures, outdoor classrooms, fully integrating the conservation program with that of the performing arts.
K-12 Education
Project Experience:
Private Schools:
St, Gregory College Preparatory School, Tucson, Arizona
Tucson Waldorf School, Tucson, Arizona
Berkshire School, Sheffield, Massachusetts
Malama Learning Center, Kapolei, Hawai'i
Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, Connecticut
St. Mark's School, Southborough, Massachusetts
Public Schools, Arizona:
Pima Unified School District #6, Pima Elementary School
Public Schools, Massachusetts:
Acton Public Schools, Parker Damon Twin Elementary School
Acton-Boxborough Regional Schools, RJ Grey Junior High
Acton-Boxborough Regional Schools, Regional High School
Berlin Boylston School District, Tahanto Middle/High School
Chelmsford Public Schools, Chelmsford High School
Chelmsford Public Schools, Parker Middle School
Chelmsford Public Schools, McCarthy Middle School
Fall River School District, Fall River Elementary School
Hopedale School District, Hopedale Jr./Sr. High School
Newburyport School District, Newburyport High School
Peabody School District, Peabody High School
Public Schools, Algerie:
Ecole "Le Jardin", Commun Tamanrasset