Renovation and Expansion of Neuenhof School Facilities

Client Gemeinde Neuenhof
Architects Waeber Dickenmann Partner Architekten, Zürich
Planning 2013-2014
Execution 2015-2017
Construction cost 29.8 Mio. Fr.
Services Structure and excavation:
Competition
Design phase
Tender documentation phase
Execution phase
Photos Klaus Pichler
Lüchinger+Meyer
Topics EducationTimber constructionRefurbishmentConservationConcrete constructionFair faced concrete

The municipality of Neuenhof owns a compact school complex with various school buildings that were constructed over the last 120 years. The existing ensemble was supplemented with a new assembly hall, one building was gently renovated and strengthened with regard to the effects of earthquakes. Another building was completely renovated. The school buildings continue to be used for school operations and teaching. The new assembly hall is used by the community and private individuals for festivities and meetings, as well as for school lunches.
The auditorium has a room height of approx. 5.5m. On the 1st floor, galleries on both sides lead from the stage to the building services block. The supporting structure consists of reinforced concrete walls and om-site concrete flat slabs. The auditorium is spanned by a prefabricated wooden ribbed slab, which is attached to a concrete beam. Most of the walls are made of fair faced concrete. Special mention should be made of the fair faced concrete facade made of on-site concrete with matrix inlay, which was concreted in stages up to 9.50m high.
The Schibler school building with a rectangular ground plan of approx. 64 x 12 m and a height of 15 m was rebuilt and renovated. On the southwest side, the existing ceilings and the floor slab were removed by approx. 3.50 m over the entire width in order to be able to subsequently construct an extension of 21 m in length. On the northeast side, the existing supporting structure was prepared and also supplemented with an extension of 19 m in length. Both extensions have (like the existing school building) a base floor, ground floor and two upper floors on which the roof truss rests. The existing structure was reviewed and strengthened and adapted to meet current requirements. The structures of the additions consist of reinforced concrete and masonry walls. The flat slabs are made of on-site concrete.