St.Johns in Saba is a center for daycare and education of youth. The study explored multiple development scenarios and assessed key parameters including traffic circulation, building placement, safety, and the sensitive integration of historic graves located on the site. The project location—situated along a ridgeline on the hillside—is among the most remarkable in the Dutch Kingdom.
St. John’s is served by a single access road, a minor route branching from the main road connecting The Bottom and Windwardside. The public area plan surrounding the schools was therefore required to accommodate parking for both private vehicles and buses, a dedicated kiss-and-ride zone, and a traffic management solution to prevent road blockage caused by turning vehicles.
The proposed design was intended to address not only the parking demands of the new Kindergarten and Daycare facility, but also those of the existing Sacred Heart School, the gymnasium, and the comprehensive school. Safety considerations were central to the design. The public area was required to be clearly legible and accessible, with unobstructed sightlines for children and other users. Pedestrian routes connecting parking areas to school entrances were to be clearly defined and minimally intersected by vehicular traffic.
Given the site’s topography and climatic context, the design was required to account for heavy rainfall and other extreme weather conditions. Drainage, surface treatment, and overall terrain management were therefore integral components of the public area strategy.
