UWC Dilijan College

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

UWC DILIJAN COLLEGE

Tim Flynn Architects

DEVELOPER
RD Group

DEVELOPER
RD Group

MANUFACTURERS
Profal

PHOTOGRAPHS
Daniil Kolodin

AREA
69000.0 sqm

YEAR
2014

LOCATION
Dilijan, Armenia

CATEGORY
Higher Education

Text description provided by architect.

From the architect. One of the main goals of the UWC College Dilijan project was to create an Armenian international school that is a lot more than just another international school located in Armenia.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

We managed to accomplish this objective by integrating the complex of modern buildings into the natural historical environment.

The famous Armenian tufa and local stone were used as the main building materials. Eco-friendly “green” walls and roofs were used for school’s main building.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

As a result, the small houses with different story levels for students, with their textured masonry, red roofs and overhanging balconies, almost replicate the samples of old local architecture.

The architects also divided the extended main building into smaller sections with a roof composed of separate fragments and glass inserts equal in height to the facade.

All the buildings of the complex are co-scale and have no more than three floors.

The roof is one of the key architectural elements of the school’s main building. Consisting of smoothly curved and generously landscaped plates, it gives the building a marked resemblance to the surrounding hills, causing it to actually merge with the landscape.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

For greater effect, we used a non-standard lawn and native plants, which means the building naturally changes its appearance during the year as the seasons change.

Due to the fact that UWC Dilijan College is located in a seismically active zone, special attention was paid to the security and stability of the buildings to account for variations in the Earth’s crust.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

A general drainage system was installed on-site, and retaining walls were built for protection against landslides.

The school’s concertina roofs, which spread over two atrium spaces, form interesting shadows and reflections that complement the ‘shattered glass’ floor design.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

Their configuration and patterns allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the atrium spaces harmonizing the exterior changing colours with interiors shades of green and yellow.

The two elongated atriums thus become the main spaces responsible for a most important part of the educational process – informal interaction and close cooperation between students.

UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin

Thanks to the efforts of the international holding RD Group, UWC College Dilijan became the first building in Armenia that has received the BREEAM environmental certification.


UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin


UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin
UWC Dilijan College
© Daniil Kolodin


UWC Dilijan College
Ground Floor Plan
UWC Dilijan College
2nd Floor Plan
UWC Dilijan College
2nd Floor Plan
UWC Dilijan College
3rd Floor Plan


UWC Dilijan College
Section
UWC Dilijan College
Section
UWC Dilijan College
Section
UWC Dilijan College
Section
UWC Dilijan College
Section
UWC Dilijan College
Elevation
UWC Dilijan College
Elevation
UWC Dilijan College
Elevation


UWC Dilijan College