0266
Location: Muttenz
Date: Competition: 2019, Completion: 2027
Floor area: 34’000 m2
Building volume: 154’000 m3
Berrel Kräutler Architekten AG
Maurice Berrel, Raphael Kräutler
Project: Enric Blanco, Barbara Duarte, Cédric Gil, Johannes Maier, Ulrike Köpke, Beatriz Morales de Setién, Nadine Neukom, Mario Serratore, Katja Steger, Annik Sutter, Amela Talic, Eleonora Terrasi, Simon Weber, Tilmann Weissinger (Project manager), Anna Willim, Valentin Wieser
Competition: Lukas Burkhard, Beatriz Morales de Setién, Benedikt Profanter, Tilmann Weissinger, Sophie Wuest
Project participants
Client: Bau- und Umweltschutzdirektion des Kanton Basel-Landschaft
Landscape architect: Bryum GmbH
Construction engineer: Ulaga Weiss Partner AG
Construction management: Proplaning
Visualisations: maaars
0266Vocational Training Centre Muttenz
The perimeter of the campus from the 1970s lies along the edge of the Polyfeld at the interface between a landscaped, small-scale quarter characterized by single-family homes and a former industrial zone with large buildings. The task is to mediate this marked contrast. Four unequal buildings frame the central terrace that facilitates arrival, orientation, and distribution, as well as encounters and exchanges within the school complex. A new canopy on the auditorium building, a roofed break area, which links the plaza with the subadjacent garden, and a large bench subdivide the space.
On the south side, a flowing transition leads from the school gardens, athletic fields, and the landscaped recreation areas of the campus to the gardens of the residential buildings. The tallest building — the former tower of the technical college — accommodates all classrooms. The ground floor will be occupied by a media centre, multipurpose rooms, and a large lobby for potential events or exhibitions. The ground floor in all buildings is occupied by uses that have an impact on the square.
Located beneath the central plaza, in the pedestal of the complex, is the triple gymnasium. A glass facade above the entire length of the gym provides natural daylight. The character of the original facade strongly shapes the impression made by the facility as a whole. The new envelope should generate an analogy with the existing building by means of concrete elements, thereby preserving the identity of the tower.
Only minimal adjustments will be made to the low pavilion to the south. Over time, alterations to the facade have compromised its original clarity. A restoration involves a reduction to full-surface glazing with corner cladding. A new canopy emphasizes the building’s importance and public character. The auditorium in the upper story will remain, along with the dining hall on the lower level. A new, expansive staircase will provide access to the dining hall and the gymnasium. A small cafeteria in front of the auditorium opens toward the plaza, making it possible to grab a quick coffee en route to classes or encouraging convivial gathering afterwards at the heart of the campus.