Client: The real estate department of the municipality of Almere

Main contractor: Van Norel

Architect: Cepezed architects

Cladding installer: Welmecon

Colorcoat® products: Colorcoat Prisma®

Colour: Ephyra

Year: 2023

Almere International School have an objective to stimulate economic growth and diversity in Almere, by attracting expat families and offering high-quality education to bolster the city’s international standing. The new school complex, located within the green surroundings of Annapark, houses both the International Primary School and the International Secondary School. The facility was designed to accommodate 700 students initially, with plans for expansion to cater to 1,000 young learners. Construction started in late September 2021 and was completed in spring 2023.

The central building block and wing intersect in the four-story central nave with auditorium, gymnasiums, music and drama rooms, library, and cafeteria. The three interconnected sections of the building are carefully placed in a green outdoor space with lawns, fruit trees, and educational vegetable gardens contributing to the buildings surrounding area.

Welmecon incorporated Tata Steel's Colorcoat® pre-finished steel products into the school's construction. “The decision to opt for Colorcoat Prisma® was driven by its modern aesthetics, low maintenance requirements, and exceptional building owner Confidex® Guarantee, aligning perfectly with the school's commitment to quality and functionality,” states Robin Dekker, Work Planner at Welmecon. “Additionally, the rich golden hue of the Ephyra colour further increases the visual appeal of the wall panels.”

Colorcoat Prisma® pre-finished steel from Tata Steel underlines the high quality and aesthetics of the façade. The innovative pre-finished steel with three-layer technology ensures maximum corrosion resistance, robustness and unsurpassed UV protection. This is backed up with the Confidex® Guarantee for up to 40 years for industrial and commercial buildings.

In addition to the high aesthetic and functional requirements, the gold shade of Ephyra was a decisive factor in the selection of Colorcoat Prisma® as it acts as a visual statement and expression of the innovative spirit and the high quality education students receive at Almere International School.

To meet the demands of Almere International School's architectural ambitions, Welmecon worked with Jack Muller Ltd. who have offered Tata Steel products for many years.
“Customers' orders can sometimes be too small to be directly placed with Tata Steel,” explains Erik Schroemges, Account Manager Pre-painted Metals at Jack Muller Ltd. “However, Jack Muller will order large quantities of popular colours and able to offer small order sizes. This way, we offer our customers flexibility in product choice while also simplifying the administration, and supporting short lead times.”

Once the orders were received by Jack Muller Ltd., they further process the steel coils into smaller quantities before they were profiled into facade panels. “We pride ourselves on providing a customised service and quick turnaround,” adds Erik Schroemges. “This is only possible thanks to our partnership with Tata Steel. We appreciate the flexibility and efficiency of their service and the quality of their product portfolio.”

The collaboration between all parties combined expertise and quality products. In doing so, the project helped to shape an architectural vision into an educational space for generations to come.