White : Nordskovskolen, Haslev: Mögelsvamp och frikadeller

Nordskov school in the town of Haslev on Zealand was a typical 1970s project. The school was erected in 1974 as a turnkey contract, a dull, standard building with a flat roof. The roof soon caused trouble, and a renovation with a sloping sheet-metal roof was implemented. But the rescue action was too late.

By 2002 it was no longer possible to conceal the reality. The school was severely affected by mould, and both pupils and staff were experiencing serious problems with allergies and asthma. Haslev’s municipal executive board decided on a project to resolve the situation, involving both new construction as well as decontamination and renovation of existing structures and materials.

However, it became evident that most of the school would have to be demolished. The school was stripped down to a skeleton. In principle only the foundations and the floor on the ground level could be kept. The renovation would be conducted in four stages, with the classrooms having the top priority.

The classic and conventional solution when a school has to be renovated is to lease huts to serve as temporary classrooms while the work is being carried out. This is a costly solution, however.

Architect Tora Strand thought a little extra, and came up with a plan that allowed ‘teaching as usual’ at the same time as enabling the construction workers to work undisturbed.

“I sat with a drawing and was about to insert the huts, when it struck me that we were approaching the problem from the wrong end. The smartest solution was obviously to start the new construction at the location intended for the huts, so that the pupils could empty out their old classrooms and move into the new premises while the next stage was being renovated.”

The idea was received with open arms, not least because of its potential to save money, since no huts needed to be leased.

“We have probably saved between 5 and 10 percent of the overall construction cost thanks to Tora’s good idea,” estimates Poul M. Møller, chief architect and project leader. “Successfully reshuffling premises is always a puzzle, but here it went really smoothly.”

Thanks to the well-planned renovation of Nordskov school, an old-fashioned and at times unhealthy school has been converted into a modern school that meets both current technical building requirements and educational principles. In addition, the spatial relationships have become more dynamic, the ceiling height has increased to 3.5 metres and the light now floods into areas where it was previously dark – and damp.

And the mould has been replaced with the pleasant odour of mushrooms. In the school kitchen, a group of inquisitive youngsters have gathered together for today’s theme, “Half a pig in the school kitchen”, where the children get to learn to cook food from the start. The pig has now been quartered and the vegetables are ready to be cut up into delicious salads. Year 8 pupil Ulrik is standing with his fingers buried in newly minced meat, which is to be made into Greek meatballs.

“I have been going here since nursery, and I think that the new school is much better. It is more attractive, although I think there is too much white. The playground is also better now, with a ball games yard, a basketball court and other good things.”

The users have had an extensive and natural input during the process. Both teachers and other school staff have shared the responsibility for the project’s design.

“User democracy may feel a little like a hindrance when it comes to architectural design, but at the end of the day all the parties will be more satisfied. With the limited funds available, they now have a building that is tailored according to the users’ wishes. And the most important thing in the process is that they feel it is their school,” says architect Howard Riley.