In this episode, I talk with Thomas Drenth — an architect with extensive experience in school design in the Netherlands. A graduate of TU Delft, Thomas spent seven years at De Zwarte Hond, worked at Mecanoo, and is currently an architect at Kolpa Architecten. Over the years, he has worked on a wide range of educational buildings — from primary and secondary schools to university campuses.
Together, we dive deep into the world of school architecture:
What makes the Dutch tendering process so tricky for architects working on school projects?
Chosen school projects:
MFA Het Noorderhuis, Noordeloos: https://dezwartehond.nl/projecten/noorderhuis/
CBS De Sleutel, Rotterdam-Zuid: https://dezwartehond.nl/projecten/cbs-de-sleutel/
Gilde Vakcollege Techniek, Gorinchem: https://dezwartehond.nl/projecten/gilde-vakcollege-2/
Apollo Schools designed by Herman Herzberger: https://www.ahh.nl/index.php/en/projects2/9-onderwijs/113-apollo-schools
Open Air Schools (Openluchtscholen): https://www.cultureelerfgoed.nl/actueel/weblogs/adviseurs/2020/openluchtscholen
Iconic Open Air School designed by Jan Duiker: https://hiddenarchitecture.net/open-air-schoo/
Steve Jobs Schools: https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/teacher-blog/2014/oct/07/text-books-school-ipad-steve-jobs-classrooms
Enjoy the listening!
Klaudia