Soppelsa Architekten
Dual gymnasium, Oberrüti
best architects 23
public buildings
Place
Oberrüti, Switzerland
Studio
Photos
Beat Bühler
Description
The building is set into the terrain in such a way
that the entrance can be reached at ground level via the new schoolyard. The
ancillary rooms giving onto the gym could thus be arranged on the lower level
to allow the above-ground volume to appear minimal. The gable form of the roof
supports the cohesion of the school buildings and enables a harmonious
embedding of the ensemble in the rural context. The dual gymnasium is accessed
via a central, roofed entrance area. A generously dimensioned staircase leads
to the gym level below. All rooms can be reached independently of sports
activities via the corridor zone running parallel to the gym. The building is
constructed as a wood-concrete hybrid. The atmosphere in the interior is shaped
by these two materials in line with the constructive logic. Pine plywood panels
cover large areas of the gym and form an interesting surface in combination with
the exposed concrete. The external appearance of the building is also characterised
by the combination of two materials, concrete and metal. The brilliance of the corrugated,
raw aluminium façade panels alleviates the weightiness of the large, windowless
surfaces. The base of the building is made of prefabricated concrete elements
in the same wave shape. The building is thus clearly anchored in the terrain
and has a robust finish.