Hasta La Ideas

Slideshow: the modular fenestration of this school building in western Switzerland was inspired by shapes from 1980s computer game Tetris.

Designed by Swiss architects ipas, the four-storey block is an extension to an existing secondary school and a glass bridge connects it to the main building at second-floor level.

Concrete steps lead up to the first-floor entrance and can also be used as bleachers when sports activities take place in the adjacent playground.

Differently coloured walls and floors inside the school differentiate between classrooms, the gym, bathrooms and the entrance foyer.

Dezeen visited Switzerland at the end of last year for an architectural tour of Basel and Zurich – listen to our podcast from the trip here.

Photography is by Thomas Jantscher.

The text below is from ipas:

Tetris

The building is located near the forest and its large windows fully open the school on its wooded surroundings. Imagine our children, perched in the wild beauty of foliage, about to sprout from vertigo that comes from the rise of knowledge ….

A place outside any, between heaven and earth, where reigns only the relentless beauty of a diaphanous light colored green, the sweet sound of singing of leaves blowing in the wind, a spellbinding atmosphere by its serenity in harmony with all the idea that there is a place of learning.

Imagine a school which draws its plastic aesthetics of the forest. A beauty who plays a musical symphony to the rhythm of chance and repetition, to capture, play, live emotions that nature gives us.

The building unfolds quietly because dialogue with nature, respect for the latter, out of modesty, its footprint is minimal: as a result of deforestation is reduced, the search also.

The repeating pattern used for the definition of the openings of facade has its roots in the plant environment that characterizes the place. Zoom on the macroscopic foliage delivers us a pixelization constituting the frame in which the openings take place.

The famous arcade game Tetris animates the facades and makes light of the serious idea of a school to give it a more playful.

A door-to-north false facade welcomes the entry of the new school which is in turn connected to the existing complex through a large entry step outside that can serve as bleachers for outdoor sporting activities. A glass bridge, geometry broken, connects the two schools.

The program follows a hierarchical organization clear down the access and sport, the top areas of learning, this spatial arrangement is enhanced by the multiple external environments and their lights.

The circulation spaces are generous because we must accommodate students, create meeting places and provide surfaces for new teaching methods.

The colors also draws its source in the nearby forest by restoring a concrete-colored brown, evoking the tree trunks. Inside, the chromatic variations borrow light of the four seasons, autumn orange for the lower level, the winter-brown at the entrance, spring green on the first floor and was green-blue in the second floor.

The bathrooms are blue, penetrates to the wood walls and ceiling of the gyms where the soil reflects the blue sky.

The building uses the principle of large spans, two concrete walls 40 inches thick and encompassing two levels of classes materialize an arc of 32 meters in length through which the gym is divisible released any intermediate support.

In terms of sustainability, maintenance, materials which constitute the outer shell provide durability that resists the vicissitudes of time: an inert material such as concrete, and a compact roof completely resistant to ambient humidity generated by the near the forest

Architectes: ipas architectes sa

Competition: 1st prize

Planning: 2004, 2005-2007

Owner: Commune de Genolier

Team: Michel Egger, Eric Ott, Salvatore Chillari, Delphine Jeanneret-Gris, Gilles Batista, Michael Desaules

In collaboration with: Daniel Schlaepfer, Lausanne, artiste

A shiny copper chapel hovers above the entrance to this Catholic school in Gloucestershire, England, by London studio Nicholas Hare Architects.

The academy accommodates a secondary school and a sixth form college, both accessed through a curved atrium with a three-storey-high glazed facade.

A winding staircase connects the ground floor reception with two overlooking galleries, which stretch along the length of the atrium and lead to classrooms in three branching wings.

Each floor features walls painted in a different colour to help students and visitors get to know their way around.

Academies are a new kind of state-maintained but independently-run school in the UK – check out the Zaha Hadid-designed academy in south London that won the Stirling Prize last year.

Photography is by Hufton + Crow.

Here’s some more information from Nicholas Hare Architects:

All Saints’ Academy is a church school for the community. The academy is sponsored by the Clifton RC Diocese and the Gloucester C of E Diocese. It provides secondary education for 900 pupils and 250 sixth formers.

The heart of the new building is its entrance atrium. The glazed atrium forms a focus for community activity. Its vibrant space is dominated by a sculptural stair which links the curved galleries at each level.

The copper-clad form of the chapel stands at one end, above the entrance.

The learning resource centre, assembly hall and dining area are all reached directly from the atrium.

The galleries lead to three radiating learning wings providing most of the classroom accommodation.

Staff spaces are placed along the galleries so that they form a threshold to the more private learning wings.

At ground level large windows provide views into the wings of display areas for the celebration of students’ work.

Externally, the areas around the building provide many opportunities that encourage outdoor learning.

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This school in Porto by Portuguese studio AVA Architects has lime green walls inside and out, and is filled with green furniture.

Named the Antas Education Centre, the five school buildings are arranged around a series of courtyards and playgrounds.

Black-framed windows of different shapes and sizes are scattered across the facades of each two-storey block.

A canteen is located on the ground floor, while classrooms can be found on both levels.

A lot of the schools we publish have brightly coloured facades – check out one clad in a yellow, green and white patchwork, and another with a bright red courtyard ceiling.

Photography is by José Campos, apart from where otherwise stated.

Here’s some more text from AVA Architects:

School Center Antas, Porto, Portugal

Location and Context

The site of action is part of an urban context through the recently redesigned Detailed Plan of Antas. The nearby is not defined by buildings, with only the north to the existence of a huge slope and south of the proposed construction site.

The land is entirely surrounded by streets. The area of the school is approximately 2 967.00 m2.

Idea

The spatial and architectural design of the building of the new Education Center Antas were formalized in several bodies each containing part of the program in accordance with principles of internal organization, functionality, form and image, given the type of building and its specificity.

This conception took into account the morphology of the terrain, solar orientation, access and links to surrounding bodies.

It always took account to the relationship established between spaces, between exterior and interior and between interior spaces.

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The intension is to formalize and realize the program provided through a drawing of building capable of being fragmented into several bodies interconnected with exterior spaces creating diverse environments.

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It’s a building consisting of several bodies expressed by a “simple architecture” that will build a close relationship with the exterior spaces.

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It was intended to create in the spaces between the various bodies the visual relationship between interior and exterior reducing relations with the urban surroundings.

There was an intention to turn into how the building relates to the exterior. However there are some links to the outside also.

The settlement found answers to a matrix that structuralize a functional organization of the school as a function of the planned program and constraint imposed by various land levels.

Architects Codesign have converted a Stockholm warehouse into a school.

Clusters of recycled-glass classrooms are arranged inside the former furniture storage facility, filled with colourful chairs and carpets.

Informal study areas line the corridors outside classrooms.

Weighted hatches lift up to reveal a cafe counter at one end of the building, beside a line of black tables and yellow lampshades.

Other interesting interiors in Stockholm include offices for Skype and a hotel with layered fabric lamps – see all our stories about Stockholm here.

Photography is by Brendan Austin.

The following information is from Codesign:

Stadsmissionen School

To remodel worn school premises, on a tight budget and a tight time schedule, is nothing new. Doing it together with a client such as Stockholms Stadsmission (a nonprofit organization), with their progressive vision, is a challenge which can only be loved.

The aim was to create an attractive, dynamic environment where everyone is proud to spend their time.

The brief was to transform a 1000 m2 worn industrial shed, formerly used as a secondhand cloths and furniture store, into a functional learning environment in addition to increasing the capacity of the school with an increasing number of students.

A brief was worked out together with the client, where secondary spaces such as entrance, staircases and corridors were to be considered to be the primary spaces.

The idea was to transform under-used spaces into functional spaces for a multitude of purposes.

These secondary spaces now contain a new hub consisting of a centrally located cafe, in addition to informal study areas and intimate seating areas clustered between the classrooms and rooms for group studies.

Clearly defined pods, containing classrooms, have been added within the original industrial shed.

The public flow takes place between the facade and the pods, as opposed to the traditional central spinal corridor with the classrooms butted against the facade.

The space for communication thus becomes light and airy, and spaces for incidental meetings are created, such as the café, study areas etc. The classrooms are used for teaching or group studies.

The industrial character has been retained to the greatest extent. This is juxtaposed by the pods which have been given colourful interiors which seep out into the public spaces through the glass skin of the pods and when the doors o f the pods are left open.

As the project only has a limited life span (the building will be demolished in a few years time) it was crucial to use recyclable materials where possible.

The glass skin of the pods, consists of a U-profile glassing system of cast glass, which is already recycled and can be recycled again.

The vinyl flooring can be recycled and the MDF cladding of the pods, can be dismounted and moved.

The furniture is likely to outlive the building and will thus follow the school to their new premises, yet unknown.

The entire project has been a close cooperation with the client, from first initial meeting to beyond completion, including follow-up and evaluation on completed project.

Codesign has been responsible for a large portion of the procurement and the project management of the building project, as well as the complete furnishing and fitting of the interior design. The result is a project finished on time – and under budget! Obviously, this was only achievable due to close and excellent cooperation with the Stadsmissionen managers and staff plus the builders.

See also:

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Dinahosting Offices by O Antídoto	Goldberger by Tervhivatal	MiNO by Antonio Ravalli Architetti

A day-long course with a private instructor behind the wheel of one of the world’s most beautiful cars

Though I’ve had the opportunity to test drive several Aston Martins over the last few years, I always left feeling unsatisfied. I wanted to go to fast, to push the car its limits. An occasional burst of speed passing a car on a city highway or suburban lane felt like a tease with concerns of traffic, speed limits and safety always trumping the thrill. That desire was met head on when Aston Martin invited us to spend a day at their Performance Driving Course, a day-long, one-on-one tutorial taught by one of their experienced performance driving instructors in your Aston Martin of choice. Best of all, while owning an Aston is a stretch for most of us, a day on the track is a fantasy that’s both educational and a lot more accessible.

The Course is currently offered in the U.S. at Ford’s 3,800-plus acre Michigan Proving Ground and in the U.K. at Millbrook Proving Ground, one of the largest facilities in Europe. Accompanied by CH editor-in-chief Josh Rubin, we arrived in Michigan first thing in the morning where we were met by our instructors Kevin Markham and Sal Gusmano.

Though Josh and I both consider ourselves fairly accomplished drivers, it’s humbling to spend a day with professional drivers who have over 50 combined years of test and performance driving under their belts. 
After an introduction to the PDC, going over the plan for the day and signing some waivers, we were eagerly escorted to our requested rides for the course, a 2011 V12 Vantage coupe with a six-speed manual transmission and a 2011 four-door Rapide sedan. Starting in the passenger seat of our respective cars while Kevin and Sal took the wheel, we headed out to our first stop.

Our instructors explained the goal of each of the six tracks as they drove the first lap of all six, giving detailed advice as they pointed out the details of the track and the car that would be put to test. The first lesson was to get a feel for the cars (we both drove both throughout the day) by accelerating as quickly as possible down the 2.5-mile straightaway, safely coming to a stop, turning around and doing it again. This in itself was about the most fun I’ve had in a long time. After a few laps, the instructors introduced an “emergency stop.” Once we were cruising at 100 mph, they called out “STOP!” and we slammed on the brakes, holding the pedal down as hard as possible to come to an incredibly quick and controlled stop.

Once we had a first-hand understanding of the term “assometer” (a word coined by Kevin meaning “your interaction with the car, the way you sit in it”), we were instructed to change lanes as we braked, simulating a real-life emergency braking and avoidance situation. The cars performed admirably (as did we) and with that experience under our belts, we headed to the Lommel track, modeled after a section of Belgian highway with rolling hills and sharp turns.

Lommel gave us the opportunity to test our skills and the car in a more common road setting. Kevin and Sal provided a better understanding of how to take turns properly—when to use the brakes and when to accelerate. Basically, this meant braking in a straight line before the turn, looking as far outside the turn as we could, and accelerating as we eased out of it. Each lap saw an increase in our skill and speed. Both Josh and I felt we took away valuable information that applies to day-to-day driving as well as track driving.

Next we headed off to the traction control (aka skid) pad, a wet track where we got to experience driving the cars with their multiple modes (On, Off or Track). Assometer ratings on high, this is the part of the day when you make funny faces and say “Wow! Awesome; let’s do that again!” over and over again as you spin the car into oversteer. It’s also the equally important moment when you understand the engineering involved in the cars and how to leverage it—whether you want the car controlled and tamed, loosened up, or completely left to your skill to master.

Continue reading…

After lunch, we headed out to the Gleneagles Cincinnati track, once again modeled after existing roads (this time in Scotland and Cincinnati). Longer and with the addition of a few straightaways between the turns, here we started to put the pieces together, using the skills we’d learned throughout the day. You realize that as much fun as you’re having, you’re also building up a set of skills, as well as a better understanding of the physics involved in driving. Next stop was the hills course where we put the cars through steep climbs, descents and nice wide turns. Kevin and Sal took us to the top of one of the hill tracks, among the highest points in that part of Michigan—perfect for taking in the beautiful countryside, the impressive facility and for the requisite Facebook shots of us posing with the cars.

Last stop of this thrill-seeking day was the five mile high-speed oval track, where we had the thrill of driving the cars to their maximum speeds. A gentleman’s agreement prevents us from mentioning any specific numbers, but let’s just say it was fast, really fast. It’s the kind of speed that you want, but never have the opportunity to achieve, every time you get behind the wheel of one of these beautiful machines. This is a good time to mention that we were on a closed racetrack, following all safety precautions with professional drivers in the car with us. The instructors will evaluate your skills, the weather and track conditions and take all of that into consideration when planning your day and determining how fast you can drive. Safety is always the first priority. One fun thing we learned is that by going 96 miles per hour around the track, gravity basically holds the car on course through the turns; you can lift your hands off the wheel and the stays perfectly in the lane.

Our full day of driving behind us, we headed back to the Aston Martin lounge, debriefed on the day and the guys answered our remaining questions. We shook hands with Rick and Sal and left with a whole new appreciation for physics, the cars, their skills as drivers and instructors, and grins from ear to ear.

Aston Martin Driving Experiences offer several different programs starting around $1,000; each of which offers what promises to be one of your best days ever. You can drive in the snow, on a race track, through the countryside or spend an entire day learning the ins-and-outs of performance driving like we did. Schools are located in the U.K., Australia, the U.S., and at Germany’s famous Nürburgring track. Aston owners are invited to bring their own cars; the rest of us get to use one provided at all of the courses, which you can specify when you make your reservation (they are always the current model year). The PDC is $2,500 in the U.S. and £1,164 in the U.K. They are very accommodating of sharing that time, so it’s possible to go with a friend and each chip in half, though the total driving time is still the same. Prices include a light breakfast, lunch, refreshments and the time of your life, but not travel. Drivers must have a valid license and be over 25—though if you’re the kind of person who gets an Aston for your 16th birthday you can probably work something out.