Ramot Comprehensive School

At the religious comprehensive school in Ramot, our office tested a prototype of a high-school. One of the main issues that we identified in the planning of schools for these age groups is the large gap in age and behavior between younger and older pupils. Instead of one large playground intended for the use of all pupils, we chose to build a “house” for each age group and attach its own playground.

In this way, the violence that occurs in large school playgrounds hosting various age groups is prevented. The sports facilities intended for all pupils were planned as an open and separated area that is not attached to the group’s “house” and is part of the mechanism to control users.

Every “house” was planned with a layout of classrooms on two levels opening to an internal indoor break space. This space can also be used for assembly and teaching for groups larger than a class. This space opens to the playground and extends it. Offices for staff were planned in each “house” as part of the building; those are the “parent units”

in that age group’s house. The shelters and special spaces were planned as computer laboratories and other supporting functions. The school contains 24 middle and upper school classes as well as a seminary, a refectory, a sports hall, and sports courts. All roofs were planned to be vegetated and lately, the first stage of this work has completed.

Client:        Jerusalem Municipality and Ministry of Education

Location:   Ramot neighborhood, Jerusalem

Area:          5,700 square meters