DBFM Primary School Boom Park

This pilot project, part of the first series of Scholen van Morgen, was awarded to Areal Architecten following an Open Call under Flemish Government Architect Peter Swinnen. The extension seeks a delicate balance between built and unbuilt space by stacking the three programme components — kindergarten, primary school, and multipurpose hall — into a compact volume rather than spreading them out. This preserves the playground and aligns the building with the taller structures in the surrounding context. The new addition acts not as an autonomous object but as a mediating volume, creating soft transitions between inside and outside and between two playgrounds. Subtle shifts in levels generate generous outdoor spaces, including a terrace adjacent to the multipurpose hall and a covered play area on the ground floor. Spatial polyvalence enhances efficiency: wide corridors serve as dining, play, and gathering spaces. The result is a compact, clearly structured volume with a distinctive architectural language that becomes a spatial catalyst for the school and anchors itself in the collective memory of the place.