Tofthøj School

When the local school in Storvorde east of Aalborg became too small, it was restructured and a new primary school and after school care department added. A glass corridor connects it to the rest of the school. One of the old wings has been renovated and new Troldtekt panels, a common thread throughout the old and new buildings, have again been installed to ensure the right acoustics.

The new building was designed by the architectural firm Christensen & Rottbøll A/S in Aalborg. The high ceilinged primary school is built around a central square. Here, the children play while on a balcony above, they can indulge in quieter activities.  This also functions as a gathering point for many school activities and parent events. Two classrooms have folding doors that face towards the square and can be opened up for larger events. The adjacent after school care department also has a large common room. This caters for children from several classes and of different ages and often challenges the acoustic environment. Despite the many glass surfaces and linoleum floors, the acoustics in the square and elsewhere are very good and children and staff enjoy a very pleasant sound environment.

The open character of the square is also reflected in the classrooms where there are large windows and glass doors which mean that the corridors do not have to function as emergency exits and can therefore be used for group work. In fact, the whole place is designed to provide many rooms for childrens’ lively and quiet activities.

The new building is located near the entrance which means that it has become the new face of the school. Its dark brick tiles give it great emphasis , making it both different from the rest of the school but at the same complementing the varying facade materials throughout the complex.