BIG Architects and a team of consultants win the largest ever commission on the Faroe Islands in Denmark for a 19,200 sqm education centre in Torshavn.
BIG, in collaboration with Fuglark, Lemming & Eriksson, Sámal Johannesen, Martin E. Leo and KJ Elrad, will design the new centre in Marknagil situated on a hillside on the outskirts of Torshavn, to serve as a base for coordination and future development of all educational programmes in the region.
As the largest educational building project in the country’s history, the institution combines Faroe Islands Gymnasium, Torshavns Technical College and Business College of Faroe Islands in one building, housing 1.200 students and 300 teachers.
The winning design was chosen among five submissions by an unanimous jury, comprised of an architect, representatives from the ministry of culture and Landsverk together with principals from each of the three schools.
"Ever since the first presentation, the team demonstrated a good grasp of the assignment. The design appeared clear and thought through already early in the process, with a good communication of the projects’ functionality."
Located on a hillside, 100 m above the sea level with a panoramic view overlooking the sea, mountains and harbor of Torshavn, the project is designed as a vortex, radiating out towards its surroundings.
Each institution is organized as a school within a school. The generous surroundings provide unique opportunities to shape the school from the inside out - as a functional sculpture formed by the schools internal needs.
A stepped interior reflects the undulating Faroese landscape with its alternating plateaus, stairwells and terraces serving different social and academic activities.
"The school is a pedagogical diagram turned in the form of a building in the open hilly landscape formed by the considerations to the internal functional needs rather than external limitations.
“The architectural expression of the new education centre in Marknagil captures the essence of form follows function," Bjarke Ingels, creative director of BIG, said.
“The architecture of the school emphasizes an educational equality, with lobbies and the central rotunda space promoting a sense of community across the three different schools,” Jakup Pauli Johannesen, partner at Fuglark Architects, said.
