GNWA . renders: © Studio Blomen
The competition plot is part of the future eco-district of Prés-de-Vidy, which is one of the large-scale projects for the city of Lausanne. The site’s topography is en- hanced by the visual escapes to Lake Geneva below, and the existing greenhouses and gardens in the northwest area are significant elements of the place’s character.
The new school complex aims to connect the existing structure with the new planned urban development as a focus point, connecting the greenhouses on the site with the future neighborhood.
The program is divided into two volumes, one for the school and the other in the sports hall. The natural slope allow the creation of two reference levels. The lower level connects the school and the sport hall to the new Plaza and the rest of the Quartier, while the upper level is directly related to the school and the horticultural environment.
The volume of the sports hall shifts slightly to finish the system east of the neighbor- hood. The strategy enables the definition of a new built front, the delimitation of the Plaza, and the accessibility of the public to the tram stop southeast of the site.
The school’s plan is organized in a clear and systematic manner, allowing for maxi- mum flexibility in the use of spaces. The grid of the plan accommodates two strips of classrooms on either side of the central circulation space. This flexible and trans- parent space becomes a meeting place with views of the landscape.
Prefabrication is used for constructive design to ensure rationality. The wooden structure and the prefabricated recycled concrete slabs are mounted on site thanks to the small span between the beams, which facilitates the construction. This sys- tem clearly distinguishes the structure of the sub-trade work, thus allowing for
greater programmatic flexibility and the evolution of spaces according to new needs. Only the two concrete cores are fixed elements in the plan.
Wooden elements on the facade represent the structure’s rhythm. A lightweight metal structure is grafted onto this primary skeleton and supports the solar panels, while also providing additional protection to the facade. This fine structure enables the integration of climbing vegetation, changing the exterior appearance of the building over the seasons, and integrating it into this vegetated and horticultural context.
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School Jardins de Vidy Location: Lausanne Year: 2023 Procedure type: Open architecture and engineering competition according to SIA 142, 3rd prize Visualisations: Studio Blomen Team: Marco Neri, Cristina Gonzalo Nogués, Markus Weck with: Cloé Sermier, Anita Gustuti, Sofia Paganelli, Antoine Challandes, Alessandro Ricci Specialist planner / collaborator: Muttoni & Fernández, Ingénieurs Conseils SA