Youthcenter, childcare and scouts
An open lot used for parking cars at the center of the town of Asse in Belgium has been turned into a youth center, while preserving the open space.
The project was the result of a competition we won, in collaboration with A2D architects, and has been awarded with the prize for architecture of Flemish Brabant. It's published in several books on architecture.
In the projects several needs were met: the creation of a after school child care, a youth center and a space for the scouts.
By using the natural gradient of the terrain, and by constructing the buildings on the border of the plot, the open space is kept open, while minimizing the visual impact.
The entrances to the different functions are marked by small entrance buildings, each carrying their name in a simple typography. By doing so, an easy the access control was facilitated.
The spaces and the playground face the adjacent forest. the playground is buffered by the gradient, in which the buildings are placed. This minimizes the cost of insulation and exterior finishing.
The entire building had almost no interior elements, the structure of the building is also it's interior. Lights are integrated in the architecture. Exceptions are made for doors and for acoustics.
