Tietgen School: A beacon for modern education
In August 2024, Tietgen School opened a new school building by the harbor in Odense for business vocational education. The new school spans 8,200 m² and is the result of a vision to create a dynamic, business-oriented learning environment that breaks with traditional teaching methods and integrates practical learning approaches.
Holmris B8 was responsible for the interior design, where diverse learning and social spaces support the educational vision and provide a framework for group and project-based work.
To ensure that the interior design aligned with the educational vision, layout, practical applications, and user needs, Holmris B8 facilitated a user involvement process during the design phase. Teachers, students, and technical staff participated, sharing their perspectives on how pedagogy, well-being, and technology could best complement the school’s educational vision and new physical framework. The process involved trial setups of specific interior solutions, where teachers and students could test their teaching practices in the envisioned spaces. This process resulted in concrete interior design proposals.
A number of teachers were also trained as ‘space pilots’ and coordinators for the physical learning environment moving forward. The space pilots received tools and inspiration on how to actively use their environment as a didactic tool and create a supportive framework for well-being and learning, using resources such as the spatial didactic annual cycle and student involvement strategies.
Tietgen School aimed for a sustainable interior design project, where reuse, upcycling of existing furniture, and innovative new furnishings naturally became part of an organic architectural universe of colors and wood. The furniture was designed to seamlessly connect the building in terms of function, form, and color. To achieve a holistic expression, the interior design plan was developed in close collaboration with Kjaer & Richter Architects.
The result was a comprehensive solution, where Holmris B8 was responsible for the user involvement and interior design process, the reuse and upcycling of suitable existing furniture, the delivery of custom carpentry fixtures and new furniture, as well as the relocation, donation, and sustainable disposal of surplus existing inventory.
