The increase in ribbon development has diluted the relationship between the polder village and its surrounding landscape and privatized the view. We are restoring this relationship by raising the area behind the church, which currently serves as a parking lot and feels like a backside, to the level of the original sand ridge. Flanked by the new multipurpose hall and the school building, the view of the polders is sublimated and deprived.On the south side we accentuate the village heart by draping the same floor finish as a carpet over the street and by planting tall trees on a regular grid. These trees provide shade, reduce soil warming and intermediate between the scale of the buildings and those of the users. The church tower remains a beacon in its surroundings, but is reframed by the treetops into an element on the scale of the village. On the carpet, the passage of motorized traffic receives two kinks in the alignment. This will create local widenings at the street frontages, strengthen the link between the two village sides and slow down traffic. Since space behind the church is limited, we are maximizing dual use and flexibility. We are designing a multipurpose hall that can simultaneously serve as a refectory, gymnasium and after-school childcare center. The village square can be closed during school hours to serve as a playground.

To design a building that allows many uses, we invoke a rational plan logic, on which interventions are made in certain places. The underlying clear structure results in a robust building that facilitates the needs of today, but can also meet the needs of tomorrow because the various program components are interchangeable. Within this structure, a rounded hall emerges: the village hall of Ettelgem. This space overlooks the town square and receives daylight on both sides through the high skylights. The changing daylight largely determines the atmosphere of the room. Next to the hall are the service rooms, which can be accessed independently to allow for varied use.