The New Craft School

Book excerpt: The New Craft School investigates the architecture of the vocational school and its role in society. It does so by situating the school within larger cultures of craft and specific networks of people, places and knowledge, in which education forms a crucial link. Based on the notion of architecture as an environment in which social relations are negotiated, it emphasizes the importance of the building to create, foster and transmit these cultures. Departing from the situation of the vocational school in the Netherlands, the book provides a reading of historical and contemporary contexts, examines the notion of cultures of craft, and the various ways in which the school can embody its position within society. Five scenarios present an architectural repertoire to reinforce connections between the vocational school and the neighbourhood, the city and society at large with cultures of making and with the identity of the school. Best practices from the Netherlands and northern Europe, complemented by a number of study projects, illustrate what these scenarios might look like. The result is a cross-cultural and cross-historical archive of projects and ideas that serve as models to inspire and to build upon, to create a new chapter in the history of the craft school. Contributors include, Susanne Pietsch, Eireen Schreurs, Sereh Mandias and Dolf Broekhuizen.