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A new three‑nave schoolhouse knits two scattered sites into one campus—exposed concrete at the core, timber classrooms at the edges, and a weathered façade tied together by a continuous escape balcony.
Dürnten’s school grounds at Bogenacker and Tannenbühl used to feel like pieces around an empty center. School Bota takes that leftover space and turns it into the anchor—pulling three kindergartens and ten primary classes into one campus with a single, clearly read building. Inside, the plan runs like a basilica: a central “service nave” in exposed concrete with a generous entrance hall and grand stair, flanked by two lateral “naves” built from sustainable timber elements that hold the teaching spaces. The move is pragmatic and calm—durable core where traffic is heaviest; warm, flexible wings where children learn. Competition: first prize. Completion: 2025.
From the yard, the architecture reads in layers. A weathered timber skin wraps the three‑part structure and a projecting metal escape balcony runs its length—an outdoor spine for fresh air, quick circulation, and supervised breaks. The balcony’s steel trays cast crisp shadows across the façade; corner stairs touch down to planted edges and small play courts. In the classrooms, continuous timber framing sets a steady rhythm around coat hooks, cupboards, and pin‑up walls; colors stay quiet—soft greens against oak and pale floors—so work and daylight do most of the talking.
Daily life is legible the moment you step inside. The concrete hall opens wide, sound softened by timber ceilings and acoustic panels; the grand stair draws you up to light. Windows are large and close to eye level so younger students can track the trees and ball courts outside. A bright teaching kitchen sits at the corner with stainless worktops and views into the yard, making food lessons feel like part of the day rather than a side program. Across the campus, a low pavilion with a deep roof and a round window offers shade and a place to wait between pickups—the kind of small, human detail that keeps families lingering rather than rushing off. The building is designed to expand as the community grows, so the campus can adjust without losing its clarity. Landscape by Bryum supports the whole with simple planting and durable surfaces—routes feel obvious, edges soft.
