School in Weinfelden by Isler Gysel Architekten

Authenticity in construction and materials is the guiding principle behind this new primary school building in Weinfelden. With a well-conceived wooden construction, Isler Gysel Architekten have created a place of learning that values sustainability. 

Weinfelden lies in the canton of Thurgau in northeast Switzerland. The new building, which stands in an overgrown schoolyard, replaces an aging predecessor. The new school building rests on a subterranean emergency hospital, which it has taken as a basic grid. 

The concept

The pre-existing conditions led to the task of arranging the basic 45 x 45 grid in the best way for use as a school. Isler Gysel Architekten have approached this by dividing the school into various parts that are organized around two atria. A central block accommodates the communal zones and serves to connect the different areas of the building. 

The centre of the ground floor features an open assembly hall with a stage. On the two upper levels, the classrooms line the facade. The doors are arranged in an offset row and connect the classrooms, thus allowing the spaces to be adapted as needed. 

An inviting enfilade: the doors enable many different classroom configurations. © Ladina Bischof

Wood construction

The wood construction is perceptible both outside and indoors. The supports and the joists of the interior ribbed ceilings are of softwood. Granolithic concrete and nuances of grey characterize the walls. Thanks to the two atria, all the spaces not only enjoy excellent lighting, but also create fascinating angles of view that make it possible to experience the building as a whole and foster interaction among the children. 

A view of the atrium and the classrooms. © Ladina Bischof

A forthright facade 

Outside, the wood facade elegantly reflects the supports and loads of the building components. Wide, horizontally arranged cornices interrupt the vertical elements. The roughsawn surface of the wood gives the facade a raw, robust texture. The building is topped by a broadly protruding roof that takes up the grid of the vertical supports.

The facade reflects the tectonics of the building. © Ladina Bischof

Isler Gysel Architekten exclusively used local wood for the construction. Weinfelden is now home to an exemplary school building with a sophisticated spatial concept that asserts itself with its focus on sustainability.