BuBao School St. Lievenspoort
On the Sint-Lievenspoort care site in Ghent, a former convent has been renova- ted, restored, and refurbished as a new school for the BuBaO (intended for child- ren with auditory and/or speech or autism spectrum disorders). The imposing neo-Gothic complex became part of a new circulation plan throughout the site. The former gloomy building was cleaned up and refreshed, an abundance of light and air was brought back into the building.
In the cleared former courtyard, a new multipurpose hall was implanted, the roof of which was used as a relaxation area. Most of the architectural interventions provided the right scale, orientation and identity for both schools (nursery and primary). The surroundings were brightly greened and differentiated.
The historic cloisters were renovated and optimized. Functional, flexible, and clear classrooms were designed. One corridor was, as it were, placed outside
the building in a double facade. This strongly reinforces the visual and physical relationship between the building and the courtyard. The former chapel has been converted into a sports hall. Although a renovation has its limitations in terms of energy saving, maximum effort was made to minimize consumption and maximize comfort.
