De Verwondering is a school built according to ‘biophilic architecture’. Architect Daan Bruggink, founder of ORGA Architect, explains: “The green elements create a stimulating learning environment for the pupils, fostering curiosity and wonder about everything related to nature. Moreover, the natural building has an enormously positive influence on the urban environment and the climate. The building, which contains fourteen classrooms, has a green outdoor classroom on the roof and a spacious central area. Living plants are an important part of the architecture inside. A large part of the façades is also covered with climbing plants. The school is surrounded by a natural and green playground.”
International competition for De Verwondering
With this nomination, De Verwondering in Almere is now competing with twelve other European countries, where inspiring solutions have also been nominated. The thirteen projects will be assessed by an international professional jury in the coming period. The international winning project will be announced in Brussels later this year.
Green Cities for a Sustainable Europe
The Award is an initiative of Green Cities Europe. This is a platform that promotes the greening of public spaces by offering innovative ideas, information based on scientific research and technical expertise. The activities of this platform focus on specific themes: health, climate, the economy, biodiversity and social cohesion. More information about the platform and the projects can be found on the website www.thegreencities.eu.