Building at the crossroads: the design of the new school in Veliki Nedelj establishes a link between the old and the new town centre and creates a sustainable, safe and inclusive learning environment through a well-thought-out spatial, functional and architectural approach
Baseline and spatial context
The historic centre of Velika Nedelja, with its key buildings such as the castle and the church, is situated on a hill with a distinctive structure. Along the southern edge, along the ring road, a new local centre with public facilities (sports hall, playgrounds, community centre, bus station) has developed over time, where a new primary school is also planned. The design team was aware of the existence of two centres and set as its objectives the integration of the old and the new centre and the spatial and design upgrading of the new centre. In terms of design, the new concept builds on the existing volumes, which have larger dimensions and a multi-storey structure. However, the sports hall stands out for its lack of coherence. The proposal for the new school takes into account the spatial relationships, orientation and design coherence of the buildings to create a harmonious whole for the new centre.
Building siting and edge design
The competition area is elongated and oriented NW-SE, allowing ideal lighting of the classrooms from the south and east. The new school continues the line of the existing buildings and establishes a clear southern edge, taking into account the sports hall. The volume of the school is divided into two offset lamellae, which allows for an optical reduction of mass, articulation to human scale and the creation of high quality outdoor spaces. Both volumes are two-storey and are spatially coordinated with the existing building. The articulation follows the internal organisation, where the façade envelopes reflect the differences between introverted and extroverted spaces.
External layout and access
Access to the school is from the north-western road, where parking spaces are already available. Only safe pedestrian access is provided between the school and the green belt – no drop-off area – with the safety of the youngest children in mind, who have an entrance in the northern lamella. The proposal provides for one-way, calm traffic without the need for turning and reversing. On the south side, there is access for employees and service activities, with a separate car park and a functional service entrance. The connection to the sports park and the athletics stadium is established on foot, underlining sustainable accessibility. Green areas and paths between the lamellas create spaces for socialising and play. The proposed solution also includes a link to the local community’s farmyard, allowing for a larger schoolyard and a functional link to the bus station and residential areas.
Architectural and functional concept
The design follows clear functional objectives: the shortest possible access for the first class, the separation of the individual blocks, a single NW-SE circulation axis and a central multi-purpose space as the heart of the school. The main entrance is located at the offset between the two lamellae, where a spatial centre is formed – a lobby with an auditorium and a staircase connecting the ground and first floors. The central space is connected to the dining room (ground floor) and the library (first floor), which symbolically and visually represent the core of knowledge. The connection to the sports hall is made via a glazed corridor that both physically separates and visually connects the school to its surroundings. The northern ground floor level contains the first classroom, with a separate entrance and cloakroom, while the southern level includes specialised classrooms (home economics, technology, art) and service areas. The upper floor contains classrooms and administrative offices. Particular emphasis is placed on the connection of the classrooms to the outside space – directly on the ground floor, and on the first floor via a porch, which also serves as a protection against overheating and glare.
Shop
The design of the new school in Veliki Nedeljja establishes a thoughtful relationship with the existing space, allows for the sustainable development of the new centre and provides a safe, functional and open learning environment. The architecture follows the logic of the place, the programmatic needs and responds adequately to the spatial and climatic challenges.
Authors of the competition solution: Matej Blenkuš, Katja Cimperman, Aleksander Cifer, Deja Đukić, Sara Ambruš
| Year of the competition: | 2025 |
| Customer: | Municipality of Ormož |
| Awards, publications: | 3rd prize in the open competition |
