The new Howest Campus Building in Kortrijk was the subject of an invitation based competition with nine participants, out of which OYO – Open Y Office, together with Arch&Teco, received the second prize.The client, Howest – University College West Flanders became a Higher Education Institution, after the merge of 6 other institutions in Flanders. The most difficult task was creating for a university that describes itself as “creative, a-typical, innovative and entrepreneurial” while also maintaining a sustainable solution and making it appealing and interesting for young generations, but also appropriate for the older ones that are required to use the space, such as faculty members.
courtesy of © OYO – Open Y Office
A place that brings together lecture rooms, meeting spaces, restaurants and pubs, shops and a park, in an informal manner that encapsulates the classrooms in the middle, the Campus is also an unconventional space that accommodates students and teachers, or even outside visitors.There is a continuum of green space around the slabs, therefore each floor gains park area. These “green pockets” placed all throughout the campus form recreational areas and non-conventional studying spaces. The creators describe their purpose as it “should be 24/7, adaptable, and translated into a flexible typology where its users can shop knowledge, process that knowledge, redevelop and re-display their work on the continuous knowledge track wrapping inside the building” What I personally consider to be truly unique about this proposal is the process used to bring together all the necessary functions – it is somewhat of a compact structure, compared to other approaches for this type of construction.
courtesy of © OYO – Open Y Office-Ground Floor
It is a whole, singular building with interventions of green spaces and adjacent modules and a multitude of functionalities, rather than a “small city” type of construction, which is the regular campus form.At a larger scale, the proposal’s charm consists in its property of being equally as visually appealing from all 360 degrees, due to its circular planimetry, this creating a multidimensional new attraction spot for the small town of Kortrijk.
courtesy of © OYO – Open Y Office
By:Lidia Ratoi