Functional flooring strengthens identity for Hoornbeeck College

Bolidt News

Hoornbeeck College

It was clear from the beginning: the flooring in the central hall of Hoornbeeck College in Kampen would have to play an important role in the overall design of the school. Henk de Gelder of RoosRos Architects turned to Bolidt to further develop and realise his ideas. The result? A customised design floor out of top-quality synthetics with a distinct identity and visual style. The Bolidtop^® Sensation flooring in this hall turns heads in both senses of the word and fits the Reformational Christian vocational college like a glove. From the upper landings, students and teachers can look down into the space below, which does not only connect the different parts of the school building but by linking heaven and earth it also reflects the Reformational foundation of the school.

From idea to floor

The need for art in the school building became apparent at an early stage. The central hall proved to be the perfect setting for this, as it represents a bridge between heaven and earth. The fact that from the floor in this hall, you can look up towards the light inspired the architect’s idea to make the floor the visual centrepiece in the design.

Architects want to enjoy complete creative freedom during the design process. Because Bolidt manages the entire production chain of synthetic applications in house, it can offer this freedom and makes an ideal partner for design projects. After all, the starting point in developing a flooring solution is the idea or design of the architect. For Hoornbeeck College, a special design of the Bolidtop^® Sensation flooring system was used to create a floor finish that meets all the school’s requirements, both in terms of design and functionality.

Bolidroom Experience

The possibilities of Bolidt’s synthetic flooring systems are unlimited, both in design and functionality. Bolidt likes to show architects and designers that there are no limits. That is why the Bolidroom Experience was created. It offers the opportunity to become intimately acquainted with Bolidt’s synthetic applications and experience in person what it is like to work with the materials. Their participation in the Bolidroom Experience was a source of inspiration for architect Henk de Gelder and creative arts teacher at Hoornbeeck College Marcel ten Brinke. Henk de Gelder of RoosRos Architects: “By taking part in the Bolidroom Experience I was 

able to see for myself that the possibilities of synthetic applications that Bolidt offers are indeed endless. That is something any architect likes to see.”

One floor, three thoughts

Hoornbeeck College is founded on Reformational principles, which clearly shows in the design of the floor. Visible from above, it features silhouettes of students looking up, towards heaven. Because Bolidt handles the entire production chain itself, there are no limits when it comes to the use of colour either. Bolidt flawlessly converted the architect’s wishes into reality. The silhouettes were, for instance, created in various shades of red, yellow and blue to represent the variety of courses at the college.

Another feature of the floor is the incorporation of different-coloured trails of shoe prints. Students enter their first year at the college as an unknown quantity, yet to develop. This is symbolically depicted by grey shoe prints in the floor. Years later, they leave Hoornbeeck College as young adults with a new identity, coloured by the course they just completed: that is what the coloured shoe prints stand for.

Anyone looking down on the floor from above, will also notice that it has lines of LED light forming a clock incorporated in it. This clock works by the light changing from one line to the next every half an hour and reminds the students of the time on earth and of the next world. Flooring in a school does clearly not need to be purely functional, but can help foster a strong sense of identity.

Synergy: an idea turned into reality

The development of the clock is a story on its own, in which Bolidt played an important advisory role. Architect Henk de Gelder says: “The idea was conceived by RoosRos Architects, but Bolidt’s expertise was vital in turning the idea into reality.”

Bolidt’s expert knowledge of integrated lighting in flooring systems originates from their experience in shipbuilding, an industry the company has been active in for many years. As a result of the prevalent use of integrated lighting in ship’s decks, Bolidt knows how to incorporate LED lighting into a floor like no other and was able to successfully implement the clock design.

Aesthetic and functional

Everything shows that the design has played a pivotal role in the development of the flooring for Hoornbeeck College. As mentioned earlier, Bolidt offers architects and designers complete freedom. An idea or a design is often het starting point for Bolidt developing a synthetic flooring system, and not the other way around. This is true with regard to aesthetics, but also when it comes to functionality. Bolidt installed functional Bolidtop^® 700 flooring in the cooking classrooms at Hoornbeeck College, for instance, because this flooring system is hard wearing, very easy to clean and has a slip-resistant finish. The development of the durable Bolidtop^® Sensation flooring for the central hall of the school, on the other hand, proves that it is also possible for design and functionality to come together perfectly in one and the same flooring solution.