A school is more than a building with classrooms and blackboards. It’s the environment which has constantly been promoting culture, socialization, personal growth among students. This is what the Dulwich College has been standing for since its foundation and this is the spirit behind the concept design. The project plans to link the two wings, Northwest and Southeast, of the existing building, through a new building, thus resulting into a unified complex. The proposed 6,000 sqm building, which will become the main entrance of the whole school, will be perceived as a natural extension of the existing part, thanks to its main features and elements which remind the overall environment and its highly traditional and authoritative character. At the same time, it will significantly improve the internal organization of spaces, thanks to a better distribution of rooms and classrooms, and to the creation of “sets of clusters”, according to the different activities they are meant to carry out, like music (1st floor), laboratories (2nd floor) and art (3rd floor), thus allowing for an easier visibility and accessibility by both students and visitors. New facilities will be provided, like the theatre and the library, while the existing ones will be further enlarged and improved.
The core area is the main entrance, characterized by a full-height atrium which will serve not only an “architectural” function, offering users a full view of the whole structure, but also a social function, creating a space for people to gather together.
Another important recreational area is the large courtyard, which will be built between the proposed building and the existing part. The external area will be also enriched by new and improved facilities (like sport facilities), as well as by a botanical garden, the “green heart” of the campus.ontro per le persone.
