Copenhagen gets a world-class primary school
From January 2024, three forms of pupils will start at the state-of-the-art Sluseholmen School, where the architecture invites nature up close. Creative solutions characterise the project, and a new, distinctive Troldtekt acoustic solution is part of the design.
Sluseholmen in Copenhagen is a budding neighbourhood for families with children, which requires good school conditions. The City of Copenhagen therefore decided to build a new school that will be best in class in terms of nature, design and connection to its surroundings.
Sluseholmen School, which opens after the New Year, is a four-storey building with green terraced landscapes on the roofs of all levels. As a unique solution, a sports hall has been built on top of a car park next door, where large glass sections provide students and leisure users with views of the city and nature.
JJW Arkitekter designed the newly built school in Copenhagen.
"The school really lives up to the vision of 'the green inner-city school'. We invite nature in with large, open staircases both indoors and out, and the school faces the canal, where the children can enjoy active outdoor life. In addition, the building is designed with wooden facades, wooden windows and roof gardens with plants and trees," says Lisbeth N. Olsen, project architect for the school at JJW Arkitekter.
Small plot, big ambitions
The main challenges in the design of the school centred around the location, because the building site is located in a noisy area and has a very limited size. This was solved by building vertically and utilising every square metre," explains Lisbeth N. Olsen:
"The limited building space was a useful constraint on the project, as the creation of active areas on the roofs has become a major asset in one's experience of the school.
As the building is relatively deep, getting enough daylight in has also been a central task. JJW Arkitekter solved this by creating three atria that not only provide light for the learning environments, but also create a spatial experience.
The load-bearing structures are made of concrete, as are the school’s ground floors, which are open to the public around the clock. Both inside and out, wood takes up a lot of space, and its warmth and glow adds atmosphere to the school and contrasts nicely with the concrete elements.
An acoustic ceiling with a visual direction
Wood is also one of the raw materials used in the Troldtekt acoustic panels, which are installed in a visible longitudinal T35 profile system. The visible longitudinal profiles are a brand new solution that JJW Arkitekter and Troldtekt developed in collaboration and which gives the ceiling a visual direction in the room.
"We have focused on sustainability initiatives in the school's construction, and Troldtekt’s Cradle to Cradle certification was a decisive parameter for the choice of ceiling. We also wanted an acoustic ceiling with visible aluminium profiles in a single direction that could be dismounted. Troldtekt developed a good solution, which both the municipality’s operations manager and our contractor have responded to positively," says Lisbeth N. Olsen.
The suspended Troldtekt ceiling also features concealed ventilation, ensuring fresh air without draughts or noise.
The ventilation solution has the great advantage of having no visible installations in the ceiling. Along with its acoustic properties, Troldtekt has a textural quality that, together with our wooden acoustic walls, creates a friendly, warm and calm atmosphere in the school’s rooms. This contributes to a good learning environment," says Lisbeth N. Olsen.
About Sluseholmen School
- Sluseholmen School broke ground in August 2021, and the school will welcome pupils from January 2024.
- The school is located on Sluseholmen in Copenhagen and was designed by JJW Arkitekter.
- Troldtekt acoustic panels in natural wood were chosen and installed in the visible longitudinal T35 profile system. In addition, concealed Troldtekt ventilation was chosen.