A new home for special education
On the northern edge of Drachten in the Netherlands, a major investment in regional special needs education has taken shape. Samen Kansrijk Drachten unites multiple schools in a single purpose-built environment designed by DP6 architecture studio. Every day, almost seven hundred students arrive by minibus from across the region. Traffic controllers guide the morning flow into the vast forecourt, where children follow paw prints representing their group’s animal to reach the correct entrance.
More than a decade ago, the municipality had faced a pivotal choice: to renovate five outdated buildings or create one entirely new educational hub. The decision led to a fresh start on a narrow plot beside the N31 highway, bringing all expertise under one roof across 56 classrooms and practical training rooms.
To support the school’s sensory aims, installers Bosma Plafonds & Wanden worked alongside the architects from the earliest stages, mounting a suite of Rockfon acoustic solutions to achieve the controlled, calming educational environment the building required.
Designing clarity and comfort at an ambitious scale
DP6 architecture studio had to shape a building that would feel approachable despite its size. The challenge was the site itself – a long strip measuring 150 by 25 metres. “The biggest design challenge was designing the large volume on the narrow plot in such a way that the building feels small-scale, safe, and secure for the children,” explains architect Ruben Aalbersberg.
The architects addressed this by creating a two-storey building divided into three parts, naturally forming a forecourt and sheltered outdoor play areas. Entrances stand clearly at the pivot points and at each end, helping children and families navigate the building with ease. The pine façades curve gently, with softened corners that give the building a warm character. “Wherever you stand, the building has a small-scale and friendly feel,” says Ruben Aalbersberg.
Given the building’s scale, precise acoustic control was essential. Bosma Plafonds & Wanden installed several Rockfon acoustic solutions to shape comfortable indoor conditions throughout the school.
“This project was subject to the requirements for airy schools. Class B had to be achieved, as the maximum reverberation time within this class is 0.6. Rockfon Krios acoustic are an excellent solution,” says co-owner Jacco Eldering. These acoustic ceiling tiles were installed in classrooms and hallways to introduce consistent acoustic comfort. Rockfon Bass Plus were installed above the suspended ceilings, a complementary acoustic solution that is ideal for areas that require sound absorption for low frequencies, between 125 Hz & 250 Hz.
For the bathroom facilities, the acoustic ceiling tiles Rockfon CleanSpace Essential provided the necessary hygiene and cleanability properties alongside robust acoustic performance.
Some choices were guided by practicality. The specifications originally suggested a concealed grid in the hallways, but Bosma Plafonds & Wanden anticipated issues with future maintenance. As Jacco Eldering explains, installers accessing overhead systems usually are unable to neatly reinstall this type of tile, which would lead to uneven ceiling lines. Instead, the team proposed a matte-white inlay system in 24mm and 15mm profiles for reliable access and a cleaner long-term finish. Sustainability also played a role in the selection. “Rockfon attaches great importance to sustainability, something we also consider very important.”
Delivering a large-scale project through teamwork
The greatest challenge was sheer volume. “The complexity lay more in the scale of the project. It was a tremendous amount of work,” Jacco Eldering recalls. Thanks to steady growth in both the office team and field staff, the company was able to take on the full scope. Over six weeks, two truckloads of materials arrived each week as three teams of six technicians worked to a fresh schedule. “It was a real rollercoaster; first, pulling the cart up together, and then letting it carry you along the rails. Looking back, I sometimes wonder: how did we pull this off?”
