The Sint-Norbertuslyceum was founded in 1919 by an initiative group of prominent Roosendaal residents. The current buildings date from 1923 and have a municipal monument status. Over time, the school has been expanded several times, it became a patchwork, so to speak. The coherence between the buildings was lacking, students often had to travel a long way from one classroom to another. The expansions also diluted the characteristic structure of the main building. In 2017, the Norbertus College merged with the Gertrudis Lyceum. Especially after the merger of the two schools, the need arose for an effective and no-nonsense educational building, where learning is central and that fits in with the educational vision. A flexible and multifunctional building that can be adapted to the needs of the times.
Demolition
BDG Architects has chosen in the design to demolish all extensions without monumental value and to return the school to its original basis. Behind the base of the historic school, an extension has been included in the plans. Just like the original building, the new part is constructed symmetrically. According to the architectural firm, this means that the new and existing buildings reinforce each other. “The symmetry and the new axis structure also ensure peace and harmony in the floor plans, which we have logically arranged based on the five domains of the school. Small-scale and each with its own recognisable identity, where education can be provided in an innovative and future-proof way,” says project architect Herma Kerssies of BDG Architects about the design.
Renovation
The project architect speaks of a ‘renovation’ when talking about the project. “The renovation offered opportunities to restore the clear building structure and the appearance of the monumental school. The municipal monument has been restored to its authentic T-shape. The extension has been placed behind the original main building and folds around the monument like a U. The original auditorium has been placed in a large atrium on the new inner courtyard and is now the beating heart of the school as a theatre and library. By removing a mezzanine floor and system ceiling that were installed in the 1970s, we have brought the wooden trusses back into view and restored the original spaciousness.”
The gym and party hall in the wing from the fifties of the last century has been cut through. “This has created space for the new main entrance on the schoolyard. As an art room and outdoor stage, this building section has once again been given a cultural function. Thanks to the glass facade, this space is still the place for performances and exhibitions, just like in the past. A seating pit in the square marks the contours of the removed building section and contributes to the multifunctional usability for breaks, meetings and gatherings,” Kerssies explains. The monumental building sections have been thoroughly renovated so that they meet all the climatological and spatial requirements. “Preserving and strengthening the monumental qualities was the starting point here,” says the project architect. She continues: “A colour study revealed and applied the original paint colour of the doors and frames. The auditorium in particular turned out to be quite damaged. The scars can still be partly seen as part of the history of the school.”
Atrium walls
The ceilings and walls were installed by Element Breda Afbouw. ​​When asked about the biggest challenge of this project for the Breda finishing company, project manager Iwan Petersen immediately mentions the atrium walls. “Both in terms of height and difficulty. The walls are twelve metres high. Installing them at such a height is a bit more difficult. The construction of the 125 mm thick walls was as follows: a normal plasterboard and a Duragyp board. We placed a false wall in front of it, which consisted of a normal plasterboard and a Duragyp board. Window frames were made in the walls. We made 45 cm recesses around them in which Rockfon Mono Acoustic panels could be glued. These panels were finished with a special render, which means they retain their acoustic effect.”
Cladding the trusses
In order to meet the acoustic requirements in the new building, Element Afbouw Breda contacted Rockfon. “We advised cladding the trusses all around with Mono Acoustic panels,” says Corné van Meer, Area Sales Manager at the manufacturer from Roermond. Cladding the trusses was no easy task for the finishing company from Breda, says Petersen. “Cladding was quite difficult. We had to work over the existing construction.”
Element Afbouw Breda also faced a difficult task in the old building. Petersen explains: “A mezzanine floor had been removed in the old part. We had to install a perforated ceiling in a sloping roof. The height and slope made the scaffolding construction somewhat more complicated, but in the end it worked out fine.”
In total, the finishing company from Breda made around five hundred and fifty metres of coves. “There is a lot of work involved in this project, a lot of customization as well. That makes it an interesting project for us, in which we have been able to demonstrate our expertise.”
Classrooms
“Standard work”, is what Petersen calls the installation of the ceilings in the classrooms. “In the monumental building, we first dismantled the old ceiling panels in the classrooms. Then – just like in the classrooms in the new building – we installed Rockfon Pallas panels in the standard white colour, but also approximately five hundred square metres of Color-all-in in the colour Fresh, a beautiful shade of blue. The gymnasiums – one large and one small – the dojo and the storage rooms were the last to be built against the old building. Because of the impact load, we installed Rockfon Boxer panels here.”
Free-hanging
A free-hanging ceiling system was used in the corridors of the new building, says Petersen. “Here we installed Rockfon Krios panels in the dimensions 600 x 2100, without a grid. The architect specifically did not want a frame around the ceiling. That is why we used Z-profiles. We installed the last panel without a profile, the profile was glued on. We made a very long test piece to check whether the glue held.”
“It was quite a challenge to meet the schedule,” Petersen reflects on the project. “We had to make a lot of meters in a short time.”
Longlist ARC25 Transformation and Renovation Award
The renovation of the Norbertus has been included in the Longlist ARC25Transformation and Renovation Award. This award is given to a transformation and/or renovation project, completed between 1 April 2024 and 1 April 2025. The project focuses on the art of redesigning and renewing an existing building or structure, so that it can once again be valuable to its users.
The independent jury, led by Jan Peter Wingender – co-founder of architectural firm Office Winhov – looks at the way in which 'new' and 'existing' relate to each other, whether there is an integral approach to sustainability and whether a place has the ability to touch people. The shortlist for the award will be announced at the end of May. The winner will be announced on 25 September during ARC25 Podium.
This is an edited version of the article from Plafond & Wand Info: www.plafondenwand.info
Author: Wilbert Leistra
