Shared by the architects upon our invitation.
Enköping’s brand-new upper secondary school has landed in a prime spot in the city centre. Just a stone’s throw from the historical grid of streets and right along one of the main routes for both public transport and local businesses, the school opened its doors in the autumn term of 2024, welcoming 1600 students and over 200 staff.
A warm and welcoming living room
The new school greets the town with an urban-style entrance, marked by a brand-new square where Torggatan and Sandbrogatan meet. To the southeast, the school park acts as a green hub for the block and a main entry point for students arriving by school bus or bike.
The building itself is made up of three connected volumes and three green outdoor spaces. At its heart is a large entrance hall that brings everything together. This central building also houses shared facilities like the reception, auditorium, library and café. From here, you get views straight out onto two lush inner courtyards.
Each courtyard is designed with a different vibe—some for activity, others for quiet study—offering green breathing spaces that support both learning and wellbeing. These outdoor areas link the central building with two “team buildings”, which house a variety of learning spaces on their upper floors.
A place to meet, see and be seen
On the ground floor of the team buildings, you’ll find the dining hall and a creative cluster made up of the makerspace and classrooms for media and the arts. Across the courtyards are spaces for special education and the school’s kitchen.
Gone are the long, closed-off corridors of the old school. Instead, everything here is within easy reach, with good visibility and flow throughout. The entrance hall is the beating heart of the school, buzzing with life from morning till late afternoon. Light, open, and full of movement, it’s a place where people naturally meet, talk, and hang out—a living room where everyone’s welcome.
Natural, sturdy and built to last
The school features natural and durable materials. The structural frame is timber, the entrance hall is clad in natural stone, and the façade is clad in brick tiles. Inside, the timber frame is on full display wherever possible, complemented by a soft, earthy palette of pastel wall and floor colours, all in line with the municipality’s design guidelines for educational spaces.
Facing the town, the building has a bold, urban edge, while on the schoolyard side there’s an extension that brings the dining hall into close contact with the outdoors, creating a seamless flow from inside to out. Special care has been taken to make the large canteen feel cosy and human in scale. A folding glass and steel wall can be closed during lunch service but left open the rest of the day so the space can be used for other purposes. There’s even a south-facing outdoor dining area for sunny days.
The rooftops that face south and southwest are fitted with solar panels, with a potential surface area of more than 1,000 square metres.
Open and flexible learning environments
Inside, the design is informal, friendly, creative and inclusive. There are all kinds of learning environments: classrooms for full-group lessons, smaller rooms for group work, and open study zones for individual or group study. Hangout spots and informal study areas are scattered throughout the buildings and the large entrance hall.
The overall interior design is built on a base of timber and light colours, enhanced with a range of complementary tones and materials that create a calm and inviting backdrop for learning.
A building for more than just school
This isn’t just a school building—it’s a space for the whole community. The auditorium seats 500 and doubles as a meeting hall for the local council. It’s also available for hire when not in use by the school. The same goes for the makerspace and three large classrooms (or mini-auditoriums) that can each hold 75–80 people.
The school’s kitchen provides meals for nearby preschools and care homes, and during school holidays, the building is used for overnight stays by sports teams and large tournaments.
Project Gallery:
Cite: “Westerlundska Upper Secondary School, Sweden / White Arkitekter ” 18 Nov 2025. GLSN. Accessed . https://theglsn.com/westerlundska-upper-secondary-school-sweden-white-arkitekter/