This wooden primary and kindergarten in Switzerland is not only striking for its architecture: the school, designed by the architectural firm Skop of Zurich, also returns its surplus solar energy production to the community.
Located in a residential area, the school and community power plant is powered by a set of more than 1,100 photovoltaic panels on the roof which fully cover the school’s electricity needs and supply 50 other homes.
Additionally, the school is visually linked to its neighbors with a contemporary zigzag roof that references the pitched roofs of the region.
Skop won an international competition in 2013 to design School in Port, which is largely based on sustainable principles. The building was prefabricated with wood from sustainably managed forests.
Wood, chosen for its ability to sequester carbon, was also used throughout the interior and furnishings. All other building materials were chosen for their non-toxic and low impact properties.
The school occupies an area of more than 16,722 m2 to serve 280 children from kindergarten to primary school.
The light-filled interior is organized around a “central circulation area,” an east-west zigzag spine, and an open learning space that branches out into tiered classrooms and other enclosed spaces to the north and south.
Flexibility is an important theme of interior design, in addition to the multifunctional circulation area, adjacent classrooms and group workspaces can be connected by large doors, which encourages a variety of teaching methodologies and of learning.
Located on a gentle slope, the building takes advantage of the topography and connects different outdoor spaces according to the different access routes for schoolchildren. On the main level, all the classrooms benefit from the spatial qualities of the pitched roof. Each classroom looks like a separate little house, creating a comfortable and warm environment for children.
Skop.
The school has obtained the MINERGIE-A classification and is also connected to district heating.
Going through Skop – Architektur & Städtebau (skop-arch.ch)