Location: Overhoeks, Amsterdam, NL
Year: 2016
Site Footprint: 3.489 m2
FSI Netto: 1.5
Gross Floor Area: 5400 m2
Program: Public, Educational
Client: ROC van Amsterdam
Advisor & Management:
Bouwkundige begeleiding - BBA
Building Contractor: De Meeuw
User: Hyperion Lyceum

Due to the construction developments, the Hyperion Lyceum needed to be moved. From 2015 – 2018 the school will be located at the Grasweg in further west in Overhoeks. It is expected that the Hyperion uses this location for three years, then they will move to a permanent school building in Overhoeks. Every year the school grew by about 140 students to 840 by 2017. The building began with an area of approximately 2,320 m2 and increased to 5,400 m2. Due to the summer vacation there was an maximum availability of no longer then 6 weeks time for each contruction phase.

The 4th and final phase of the Hyperion Lyceum can be understood as an elaborate and intensive operation of relocation, subdivision and expansion linked like a chain in 4 stages. Each expansion phase has its own subtle expression but restrained within one overall architecture concept and expression. This was meant to allow for much needed flexibility for unknown future scenarios, rapid prototyping and recycling in the future.

There will be two entrances, one (existing) main entrance located to Amsterdam North direction and the other side of the building at the end of the bicycle shed. In the middle of the school is a special courtyard with a garden for students.

The architectural expression of the school building is inspired by the Menger sponge but also by the name Hyperion, the Titan god of light and observation. Throughout the building square windows of different sizes were systematically arranged designed on the facade, roof and interior walls to create an ever-changing expression of natural daylight and diagonal view lines. From this entrance one is lead into the double height auditorium, the school’s central meeting place. A wide, lazy solid wood staircase leads one from the hall to the first floor. This staircase also serves as a traffic route, lounge area and stage during performances and leads to a series of auditoriums spaces both inside and outside the building.