In the Swiss city of Dürnten, Lukas Raeber Architects has completed School Bota—a new building that brings together two separate primary school sites of Bogenacker and Tannenbühl by occupying a previously undefined, and uninhabited, space between them. The project employs a design strategy the architects refer to as “Pünktchen und Anton,” named after the inseparable friends from Erich Kästner's children's book, symbolizing the unification of separate entities into a cohesive whole.
The architectural embodiment of connection
The new building serves as the central element linking the two sites, creating a unified school campus. The three-part structure is defined externally by a locally sourced and processed spruce wood façade that, over time, will weather to grey to match the metal escape balcony and other building finishes. Built to the Swiss sustainability certification Minergie and completed with a rooftop PV system, the building is designed to be both energy-efficient and flexible.
A contemporary campus replaces the old
The new campus consists of three classrooms for kindergarten and ten regular classrooms across one site. The contemporary addition is organised into three sections that the architects describe as “naves.” The central section, which is constructed from exposed concrete, serves as the main entrance with a stairwell for circulation through the building.
This area is flanked by two wings that house classrooms. Constructed from locally sourced sustainable timber, and completed with wooden furniture, recurring circular motifs, and colorful details—like the clocks by Swiss designers Issu Issu—the design provides a continuous and coherent appearance while generous windows bring daylight in, minimizing the need for artificial lighting.
Designed for pedagogical evolution
Lukas Raeber Architects designed the school building so that it can evolve as required—be that to changing pedagogical needs in classrooms or expansion to house more classrooms and more students. This design strategy supports a sustainable use of resources by extending the functional lifespan of the building beyond the immediate future.
