extension to school complex at riddes, competition

client :

municipality of riddes

programme :

extension to school complex at riddes, 12 classrooms, school canteen with kitchen, storage space and office, plant rooms, garage for bus

dates :

competition january 2014

site

the new school is situated in the south-west portion of the site and redefines this corner of the playground, in order to improve the relationship between the school complex and the public space. it is joined to the existing building to form a functional whole.

typology

the classrooms are glazed on two sides, offering a multiplicity of relationships with the environment and optimum natural light. the junction area, which forms the pivot between the old school and the new, is the heart of the school complex. this multi-purpose area creates a link between the two buildings and can also be used as a refectory, exhibition space, meeting area or conference room. it is accessible from both the new school and the old, and can also be divided in half.

the arrangement of the classrooms on half-levels allows a variety of spatial relationships around a central vertical space. this organisation of the storeys fosters relationships between the building's users via multiple visual relationships. the two classrooms for young children on the lower ground floor have a protected outdoor space.

the playground is a large area with a clearly delimited outline, the corners being reworked give improved definition. a green area planted with birch trees provides a tranquil space at the centre of the playground. this element connects the different functions of the playground - play area, area for young children, sports fields, and so on.

construction and future development

the position of the new school allows construction to take place independently of the operation of the existing school. once the new school is in use, work can be carried out in the old building. the second phase of the development also includes the construction of a four-classroom extension on top of the new building.

energie

the compactness of the building, the efficient thermal envelope and the controlled ventilation system reduce the energy requirement. in the classrooms, the numerous windows provide significant heat gain and good distribution of natural light. all the windows have external shutters for efficient solar protection in hot weather.

the solid construction provides a high degree of thermal inertia in the spaces, and the classrooms have ventilation windows that can be opened at night to release heat. the rational arrangement of the programme means that the project complies with the swiss minergie-P construction standard.

the south-east face of the roof of the new school is well-oriented to accommodate 270 m² of photovoltaic solar cells.