Henning Larsen Unveils “Learning Village” Concept for Glyvra School Expansion
Danish firm Henning Larsen has won the commission to expand and redesign the Glyvra School in the Faroe Islands. The new design, conceived as a “learning village,” focuses on integrating the educational campus with the dramatic local topography. This news comes from the Runavík Municipality, which is collaborating with the engineering firm Ramboll on the project. The core of the proposal is to redefine the school’s role within its small coastal community, making both architecture and the surrounding landscape fundamental components of the daily learning experience for its 500 students.
A Phased Approach to Construction
The project will be executed in multiple phases. This strategy ensures the school can remain fully operational throughout the construction process. New facilities will be completed and occupied before any existing structures are taken down for renovation. The expanded 10,000-square-meter campus will serve a wide range of students, including those in preschool, middle school, after-school programs, and special education. This phased development is a key part of the masterplan to minimize disruption to the community.
Adaptive Reuse and Interior Spaces
A significant element of the project is the adaptive reuse of Heimistovufjósið, a historic barn from the 1950s designed by local architect Niels Pauli Hansen. This structure will be transformed into a new music school. The design preserves the barn’s original character while introducing modern teaching spaces, rehearsal rooms, and a concert hall, showcasing a blend of historical preservation and contemporary interior design. This approach respects the site’s history, which is documented in the archive.
Connecting with the Landscape
Situated between a fjord and a mountain, the school’s new layout features a cluster of interconnected volumes that follow the natural slope of the terrain. This architectural design preserves much of the existing landscape and draws green spaces into the campus core. Classrooms and common areas are positioned to maximize natural light, provide shelter from the wind, and offer views of the surrounding environment. The design promotes a seamless flow between indoor and outdoor areas, encouraging movement, play, and learning. This focus on the natural environment is a pillar of the project’s approach to sustainability.
A Hub for the Community
Beyond its educational function, the campus is designed to be a resource for the entire village of Glyvrar. Landscaped courtyards, pedestrian paths to the beach, and facilities for sauna and sea swimming are integrated into the design. These amenities are intended for use by both students and local residents, turning the school into a social and cultural anchor that operates beyond school hours. This development serves as a central point for the community, reflecting a thoughtful approach to urban planning. The entire project serves as an important update for the global architecture platform.
✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight
The primary constraint shaping this project is the institutional mandate for uninterrupted school operations during a multi-year expansion. This operational requirement logically dictates a phased construction strategy, fragmenting the development into discrete, sequentially-occupied modules.
This approach aligns with public procurement models that manage capital flow over extended timelines. Concurrently, a policy decision to integrate public recreational infrastructure (paths, beach access) into an educational program aims to maximize the civic return on investment. The preservation of a specific historic building adds another fixed constraint to the site plan.
The resulting architectural outcome a campus of interconnected, smaller-scale volumes that follow the terrain is therefore not a purely formal or aesthetic decision. It is the physical symptom of prioritizing operational continuity and layered civic functions over a singular, monolithic design. The built form is a direct record of these preceding non-architectural requirements.
★ ArchUp: Technical Analysis of the Glyvra School Expansion with “Learning Village” Design
Analysis of Environmentally and Community-Integrated Educational Architecture:
This article provides a technical analysis of the concept for expanding the Glyvra School in the Faroe Islands, proposed by the Henning Larsen firm, as a case study in educational architecture integrated with the environment and community.
1. Scale, Scope, and Phased Construction: The expanded campus covers a total area of 10,000 square meters and is designed to serve 500 students across multiple age groups. A key technical feature is its phased construction strategy, which allows new facilities to be occupied before existing buildings are renovated or demolished, ensuring zero disruption to the educational process.
2. Architectural Concept and Integration with Terrain: The design is based on interconnected volumes that follow the natural slope between a strait and a mountain. This approach seamlessly integrates outdoor spaces into the campus core, with classrooms oriented to maximize natural light and panoramic views. The project also includes the adaptive reuse of a historic 1950s barn, converting it into a music school while preserving its original character.
3. Community Hub Performance and Social Function: The campus is designed as a multi-functional community hub, featuring public squares, beach pathways, and sauna and sea swimming facilities open to students and locals alike. This design philosophy creates a social and cultural anchor for the coastal village of Glyvra, with the school actively serving the community beyond standard school hours.
The provided link directs to an article on the “Julia Home Design,” a small sustainable residence, not the “Tallarook Hilltop Tiny House.” For a relevant comparison on educational environments integrated with nature, you might search within ArchUp using terms like “educational architecture,” “school design,” or “outdoor learning.”
✅ Official ArchUp Technical Review completed for this article.