The Institute for Educating the Blind was founded in Amsterdam in 1808 and relocated to Huizen in 1932. Plans were made in 1991 for a new school with updated facilities for educating blind and partially sighted children. Surrounded by woods, the Visio centre is a child-friendly building catering for 85 pupils requiring special care.
A central corridor creates a perpendicular link between the two side wings. The central corridor contains the main communal space and forms a clear orientation point from which to navigate the building. Classrooms, breakout spaces, a gymnasium and a therapeutic bath are contained in a two story enclosed mass. Clad in light Russian Larch timber and natural brick the form of the building is rooted into its tranquil context.
The interior has clear contrasts in colour, material and sound, making it easier for children to navigate the building. Footsteps have a different resonance on the parquet floor in the central hall compared to the linoleum floor in the side wings. Contrast strips are applied along the edges of the floors to distinguish floor from wall. Soft black signalling mats indicate where the staircases and side wings begin.
Diffuse natural light enters the space from skylights above reducing glare that is troublesome for the pupils. The intelligent use of material not only creates an aesthetic appropriate to context but also an empowering tool facilitating the user’s ability to orientate and navigate through the building.