Frei Rezakhanlou SA

School Complex In Chermignon

School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher

SCHOOL COMPLEX IN CHERMIGNON

Frei Rezakhanlou Architects

ARCHITECTS
Frei Rezakhanlou Architects

PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Eric Frei, Kaveh Rezakhanlou

PARTNER
BECSA for site supervision

COLLABORATORS
Sarah Hay, Sarah Di Dio

PHOTOGRAPHS
Thomas Jantscher, Jean-Michel Landecy, Nicolas Sedlatchek

YEAR
2010

LOCATION
Chermignon, Switzerland

CATEGORY
Educational Architecture, Kindergarten, Schools

Text description provided by architect.

The facilities are used by five distinct villages and propose a kindergarten, a primary school and a multi-purpose hall (sports, music, theatre, events).

School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher

In consequence, The competition site was chosen just outside the village of Chermignon-d’en-Bas on the main road connecting the villages to each other and to the Rhone valley at the foot of the mountain.

On this rather steep site, the brief required several outdoor (flat) surfaces as in the kindergarten’s playground, the schoolyard and for gatherings in general.

School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher

The project responds to this by providing a central forum (or agora) around which the buildings and retaining walls are set. The new sixth village becomes a significant public facility serving the whole region.

The school and the multi-purpose hall touch at an angle retaining the mountain to the north.

School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher
School Complex In Chermignon
© Jean-Michel Landecy

Being under the same roof greatly facilitates the use of the sports hall by pupils and vice-versa the school’s refectory from the foyer for spectators when the hall is used for other events.

The kindergarten is a lower two storeys volume set to the south and overlooking a spectacular alpine view across the valley.

The enclosed playground is a mid level platform accessible from both floors of the kindergarten.

School Complex In Chermignon
© Jean-Michel Landecy
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher

In line with a certain tradition in alpine architecture, the buildings are in reinforced concrete, here both inside and out.

This gives a formal unity to the whole that is further accentuated by the use of similar-sized windows on all facades.

School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher
School Complex In Chermignon
© Jean-Michel Landecy

In some interiors wood is used next to concrete, which is also usual in mountain architecture. The multi-purpose hall is entirely covered in larch wood, as it is the noblest part of the complex.

School Complex In Chermignon
© Nicolas Sedlatchek
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher


School Complex In Chermignon
© Jean-Michel Landecy
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher
School Complex In Chermignon
© Thomas Jantscher


School Complex In Chermignon
Ground Floor Plan
School Complex In Chermignon
Lower Floor Plan (Kindergarten)
School Complex In Chermignon
Fist Floor Plan (School)


School Complex In Chermignon
Site Plan
School Complex In Chermignon
Section

Frei Rezakhanlou SA
T +41 21 3406040 F +41 21 3406041
Frei Rezakhanlou SA
Av. Mon-Repos 8, 1005 Lausanne, Switzerland