Danish design studio Henning Larsen has won the competition to redesign and expand Glyvra School – creating a learning environment where architecture, landscape, and community merge into one. The proposal redefines the school as a ‘learning village’ shaped by the surrounding topography, ensuring sheltered outdoor spaces, abundant daylight, and fjord views from the classrooms.
Designed as a cluster of interconnected buildings that follow the land’s natural slopes, the new Glyvra School turns the landscape into an active driver of community, play, and learning. Much of the existing terrain is preserved, while green areas are drawn into the heart of the campus and the buildings naturally extend outward into the landscape. This creates a seamless flow between indoors and outdoors – encouraging movement, curiosity, and creativity throughout the day.
“Education here happens both indoors and out. Our design weaves exercise and play into everyday learning to ensure the surrounding nature isn’t only a scenic view, but also a teacher. By preserving the existing school and Heimistovufjósið, the new campus will feel like an organic extension of Glyvrar, one the entire community can enjoy,” said Ósbjørn Jacobsen, Design Director, Henning Larsen, Faroe Islands.
Sheltered play zones, varied planting, and natural wind protection make the outdoor environment usable year-round, supporting everything from hands‑on exploration to social interaction. Art installations and activity areas promote wellbeing, sensory stimulation, and community bonding, turning the school into a vibrant learning ecosystem for students aged 5 to 12.
Outdoor amenities extend beyond the school grounds; the campus is a social and cultural anchor for the Glyvrar. Landscaped courtyards, paths leading to the beach, and facilities for sauna and sea swimming are woven into a network of recreational routes and activity areas designed for everyday use by both the school and the wider community. In this way, the school functions not only as a place of learning, but as the heart of village life – active well beyond school hours.
The new music school will be housed within the historic barn Heimistovufjósið, built in the 1950s by local architect Niels Pauli Hansen. The design respects the building’s proportions, materials, and architectural expression, while introducing contemporary facilities for music education, rehearsal, and performance. Dedicated teaching spaces, rehearsal rooms, and a concert hall, aim to strengthen links between education, culture, and the local community.
The school will cover 10,000 square meters, accommodating 500 students across preschool, middle school, after -school programs, and special education. To support the growing population, Runavikar Municipality has awarded Henning Larsen and Ramboll with renovating and expanding the existing Glyvra School and the establishing a new music school within the 75 year-old Heimistovufjósið barn on site.
Construction will be delivered in multiple phases to ensure the school remains fully operation al throughout. The phased approach allows new facilities to be completed and occupied before existing structures are renovated or removed.
