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All photos  courtesy SHL Architects

Extension to Waldorf School designed by Morten Schmidt

schmidt hammer lassen architects has unveiled their new addition to The Rudolf Steiner School in Aarhus, Denmark. The innovative new building, which reflects an interdisciplinary approach to education, has been designed by the practice’s partner Morten Schmidt, a former student of the school.

The Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner founded the Waldorf schools in 1919. These institutions continue to emphasise the role of imagination within learning, integrating artistic, academic and practical elements of education. Morten Schmidt has created an eclectic and inspiring building that is indicative of this approach.

The new school building incorporates a series of angled roofs, resulting in every room having a different shape and character.  By omitting uniform, quadrilateral shapes, the school creates engaging, colorful areas for students to explore, providing both intimate and open-plan areas that cater for the school’s range of learning activities. The angled roof also provides views of the schoolyard and the forest and sea beyond.

A contoured façade to the front of the building creates inviting external spaces facing the playground which can be used as outdoor classrooms or for social interaction. The large eaves and raw wood beams of the roof have an inviting, sheltering effect.

Discussing the completed project Morten Schmidt said:
“We have paid special attention to the quality of spaces in the new building. Integral to the design process was creating a varied learning environment in keeping with the principles of the Waldorf Schools, whilst also creating a comfortable, safe place for education.”

The new building responds architecturally to the school’s workshop which was also designed by Morten Schmidt and completed in 2005.  The new building is built with prefab elements made in Germany and assembled on location. The construction work took only five months