Berrel Kräutler Architekten Berrel Kräutler Architekten

Orientierungs­schule Vouvry

0052

Orientierungs­schule Vouvry

Orientierungs­schule Vouvry

Large and gleam­ing gold, the Vouvry district school build­ing sits between the Rhone River and the busi­ness centre in the valley of the lower Valais region. In dimen­sions and form, it is remi­nis­cent of the indus­trial build­ings that occupy the valley floor.

Longitudinal section
Longitudinal section

Joined together at the centre of this compact, three-story build­ing, with its recessed ground-floor, is a triple gymna­sium, around which all of the other rooms and circu­lation zones are grouped windmill-style.

Facade corner with cantilever
Facade corner with cantilever

The district school build­ing is covered in a skin consist­ing of folded sheet brass. The tradi­tio­nal techno­logy used for the facade breaks up the larger form of the build­ing, as does the recessed ground-floor, above which the two upper stories project outward 8 meters on all sides, creating a roofed common space.

Ground floor plan
Ground floor plan

Students and teachers enter the build­ing via corner entran­ces situated on the east and west sides of the build­ing. Cascade stair­cases, each occupy­ing the entire breadth of the trans­verse side of the build­ing, ascend to the upper levels.

Entrance area on the ground floor
Entrance area on the ground floor
Staircase
Staircase
View into the triple gymnasium
View into the triple gymnasium

On the upper­most level, the gym walls are entirely in glass. These provide views through the entire level and into the hall. Sky­lights admit day­light into the centre and the upper­most level.

Corridors with a view
Corridors with a view

In the common room and corri­dors, walls are paint­ed wine red. Con­trast­ing with them are the white gymna­sium and the class­rooms, pan­elled in white.

2nd floor plan
2nd floor plan

The concept of the support struc­ture is based on a mega­structure. In con­junc­tion with the ceil­ings above and below, the sep­arat­ing walls in the class­rooms of the second upper story form a load­bearing structure. Suspen­ded from it is the first upper story, executed in wooden construc­tion.

Classroom
Classroom
Wardrobe with specially-made tiles
Wardrobe with specially-made tiles
School workshop
School workshop
School kitchen
School kitchen

0052 Orientierungsschule Vouvry

Reference numbers
Competition: 2008 
Construction: 2010—2013
Floor area: 9’400 m2
Building volume: 52’000 m3

Project participants
Construction management: GayMenzel
Construction engineer: Ulaga Partner, ESM group
Landscape architect: ORT AG für Landschaftsarchitektur
Photos: Radek Brunecky, Eik Frenzel

Team BBK
Project: Samuel Häusermann, Marc Annecke
Competition: Samuel Häusermann, Angela Behrens, Veit Giessen

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