Connecting wing for those who need extra support
A major asset to the secondary school is De Passage: an inviting space where students who get stuck can go. Because they are overstimulated, for example, have difficulty planning, have worries at home, or have been sent out of class. Linda: 'All the extra support that we used to offer in different places is now together on one central wing. From ambulatory supervisors to school social work, from HALT employee to school doctor.' Gispen was asked to set up De Passage in such a way that all kinds of working methods are possible.
Plenty of choice and variety in working methods
Account manager Harold Hermans: "We have placed the desired activities in distinctive zones. In the concentration zone there are workplaces with a high sitting or standing position, for individual and collective work. We also placed individual and collaborative workplaces at desk height, equipped with acoustically dampening screens so that mutual peace is guaranteed. In the relaxed zone you will find a homely sitting area with sofas, ottomans and rug. In train seats, groups of students can work together actively and relaxed. They can also sit at round Gispen KOLM tables with durable Gispen WIZZ chairs. Also sustainable are the comfortable OMEGA III chairs with a felt shell made from recycled PET bottles. And we brought nature inside: there are mobile Gispen planters with greenery everywhere.'
Organic shapes, calm blues
At the back of De Passage there are four rooms that are also fully equipped for students who need extra support. Thanks to flowing shapes and natural, calm colour schemes, low-stimulus spaces have been created. Harold: 'We placed organically shaped tables that can be placed separately, or create a different dynamic in the classroom in a different arrangement. For the teacher, we placed the Gispen TM Doc, a desk setup that supports working with students due to its specific shape. The teacher can also work on it standing up. This table, which does not take up much space, is widely used in hospitals. So at the Lingeborgh there is a nice cross-pollination between education and care.'
More unity and a homely look
On another floor, we set up a library that motivates students to read. It has become a large reading square with space for 30 students, so that teachers can also use it for lessons. Clear sight lines are interspersed with cozy corners. Many wood decors and plants can also be seen here. To create unity, we extended this to the study terrace, a meaningful space where students have plenty of choice of study places. From train setup to your own table. A large rug and small poufs create a homely atmosphere.
How do you like it?
Linda: 'We are very pleased with the result. You should see the before and after photos side by side. There is now more peace, more unity. Everything is coordinated and has the same homely and low-stimulus atmosphere. Our choice for Gispen also had to do with the social character of the company: all new furniture was produced by people with a distance to the labour market. Just as we want to empower our students and employees, Gispen does the same with their staff.'
Photography: Studio de Zwarte Kater
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