School and sport hall Riant-Pré in Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland |
2020 - 2021, Alberto Figuccio, Italy

The school is strategically located in the "centre of gravity" of the site. It thus plays the role of pivotal building which characterizes three courtyards and connects them, thanks to the covered courtyard, which it shelters on its ground floor. The building assumes the character of a public building, which maintains relations with its environment and detaches itself from the rules of establishment specific to the domestic architecture of the district.

The covered courtyard is therefore thought of as a place to connect all the outdoor spaces, as well as a connection to the other buildings of the college but also on the scale of the district. This meeting space is qualified by a bird's eye view of the sports hall and direct access to the various entrance halls. In order to meet ecological objectives and reduce delays, we opted for a wooden structure "placed" on a concrete base, which develops on the lower levels.

The use of local materials reduces the ecological footprint of the construction. Prefabrication in the workshop makes it possible to limit the assembly time on site. This constructive strategy generates a dichotomy between the expression of the work in its relationship to the ground and in its relationship to the sky. The polished concrete base gives the building its solid, durable character in its relationship to the public space. The facades of the floors are clad in wood whose changing light of the seasons reveals the elegant complexity and warmth.