The industrialization of the Linth valley through the textile industry has had a lasting influence on the composition of its urban network. Over the past century, production sites of internationally renowned companies have shaped the settlement structure and created significant shifts in scale within the built environment. In this context, the new school building is conceived as a simple, solitary volume that enters into dialogue with the alpine landscape while integrating into the heterogeneous urban fabric of the valley.

The ground floor is designed to be accessible from several directions in order to ensure clear circulation for different user groups. The main entrance to the school is distinct, while the day-care facility, the kindergarten, and the sports hall are each provided with their own separate access points.

The building has been designed with flexibility in mind, allowing it to adapt to future developments and changing uses. Its compact structure is organized around a three-tier grid of structural supports, reduced to a minimum in order to allow maximum adaptability. The three-storey concrete skeleton forms the base of the building, while the sports hall above is realized as a lightweight timber structure. This hybrid construction responds to the varying requirements of different spaces and combines a high tactile quality with efficiency and sustainability.

The typology of the building, with its mineral base, raised timber hall, and textile sun-shading, recalls the historic “hanging towers” of the textile industry that still characterize parts of the Glarus region. The new school thus creates a contemporary point of identity within the diverse urban landscape of Näfels.

To meet flood protection requirements, the ground floor and entrances are elevated 50 centimeters above the terrain. A cantilevered concrete slab frames the building, setting it apart from its immediate surroundings and giving the impression that the volume is floating above the landscape.

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STATUS: competition entry

LOCATION: Näfels (CH)

ARCHITECTURE : un-icon +  HURST SONG ARCHITEKTEN

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER : STRUKTURATELIER WOZNIAK+