CONFLICTING FLEXIBILITY

misbe2011 Tracking Number 68

New buildings are designed for its first users. For a sustainable approach there are many advantages in designing in flexibility and adjustability in order to enable and facilitate the other sequential users. For the first investor this flexibility is translated into improved exit values due to increased potential. The second investor is acquiring a building with multi-functional opportunities. The politically stimulated combination of schools with day care is generating several new design commissions in the Netherlands lately. These projects are characterised by a high level of user related features. At the same time these kind of buildings are confronted with an additional need for flexibility due to (demographic) developments in the neighbourhood. There are some good examples of such projects, but there is a distinguished need for additional workable solutions. One of the design projects of the faculty of Architecture started research by design to establish an architectural approach for the combination of elementary schools with after-school child care in different scenarios: transformation of an existing building in a shrinking village, as a replacement in a urban setting and as a new addition to an existing school in an area with growing potential. The combination of scenarios strongly suggest a focus on flexibility during the building’s life time. The growing area will create a peak demand, so even if it does not become a shrinking city after a while, the combined school will still have a fluctuating capacity need. However in the research by design, executed by architectural students, it can be observed that not the life time flexibility, but the daily flexibility, needed by the combination, takes all the creativity. It is already too complex to create multifunctional spaces to be used for learning zones in day time and play area and child care zones afterwards. Compared to other types of projects, the first user approach related to architectural design is in this function mix getting even more attention with the specific requirements, up to the level of dedicated furniture. The solutions provided by practice for the life time flexibility are in many cases related to an even more complex function mix. If a new neighbourhood first can be characterised by a peak in delivery, followed by baby care, elementary school and child care, higher education and taking care of the elderly people afterwards, the relation with different care functions becomes more obvious and time related. The synergy between those functions can be very promising in the right combination. Such a view on the neighbourhood suggests social centres developing and changing over time together with their servicing area. The context will lead to certain investors willing to fulfil their social and sustainable ambitions. The research by design itself will have a satisfactory result for the institutions dealing with the implementation of after-school child care if the proper selection of design suggestions are produced. These institutions will represent the first users. The scientific and social significance will be in the developments clearing the conflict by giving an answer to both the daily as well as the life time flexibility.