school+kindergarten hanfland

urban design concept
the hanfland school building of the municipality of buchs is to be developed into the northern school campus with new facilities. the existing complex is characterized by the high quality of its buildings, the carefully designed outdoor spaces, and the generously sized green areas. based on these qualities, the preservation of the existing buildings, outdoor areas, and green spaces is a decisive design principle. particular attention is paid to minimizing interventions at the interfaces between existing and new structures. the present concept results from these requirements.

kindergarten – kiga
the fundamental decision to continue using the existing kindergarten, including the caretaker’s apartment, due to its high quality, determines the location of the new kindergarten on the overall site, as the existing kindergarten group is to form a unit with the new groups. the possibility of converting one group room into two daycare rooms (and vice versa) requires spatial proximity between the kindergarten and the daycare center. from these considerations, the location of the new kindergarten and daycare center on the southern part of the site, directly adjacent to the existing kindergarten, follows naturally. all new rooms of the kindergarten and daycare center are accessed via a covered, partially two-story circulation zone on the north side of the existing kindergarten. from this sheltered play and waiting area, two kindergarten groups are each accessed through a generously glazed shared entrance vestibule, which also serves as a dirt trap. from there, one reaches the ancillary rooms for meal delivery and the cloakrooms, which in turn provide direct access to the courtyard-like covered outdoor areas and then into the garden. the main rooms, oriented south toward the garden and covered terraces, can be widely opened to the outside and are spatially structured by centrally placed sanitary units, creating play niches with various usage possibilities. the covered outdoor area to the south is equipped with long benches and allows outdoor play even in bad weather.

daycare center – kita
the new daycare center is located on the upper floor of the new building. outdoor play areas are provided both as terrace spaces directly adjoining the rooms to the south on the kindergarten roof and as access to the large park with its attractions via a stair ramp. the space beneath the ramp is used for storing play equipment. similar to the kindergarten, all daycare rooms are accessed from the two-story, weather-protected circulation zone. the conversion of two daycare rooms into one kindergarten group or vice versa can be done very easily.

school extension
the school extension continues the architectural and functional principles of the existing building. the two-sided corner lighting of all existing classrooms is replicated in the new classrooms. the interplay of partially open and closed wall elements with varying materials is reinterpreted. the distinctive geometric design language of the existing building is maintained, while the extension remains distinguishable through the choice of materials. the only major intervention in the existing structure is the removal of the ceiling above the entrance foyer. this creates a light-filled atrium extending through all floors and illuminated from the north. students, teachers, parents, and visitors enter at the familiar location into a spacious, bright new atrium with views toward the schoolyard, the outdoor classroom, and the mountain landscape beyond. on the first and second floors, one additional classroom and a group or therapy room are added to the school. on the ground floor, the existing outdoor classroom is built over by the new structure, minimizing the issue of summer overheating.

fire compartments
to avoid altering the existing escape routes through additional new areas, the school extension receives its own staircase. in the event of fire, a fire curtain separates the new structure from the existing building on all floors. on the ground floor, the new addition, separated by fire curtains, has its own emergency exit directly to the outside.

playroom concept hanfland
the playroom winds like a ball of yarn through the school garden from one playroom to the next. the playroom is as colorful and varied as the threads of several yarn balls. each room stands for a different activity—fun, playfulness, and individuality. the access path to the kindergarten, with balancing beams and stepping stones, invites playing and juggling. the circular path in the kindergarten’s outdoor area winds like a thread through the garden. play hills serve for climbing and testing strength. areas for water play and sand play provide fun and freedom. berry bushes offer privacy and invite snacking.

future scenario – play ribbon
along the main path, a play ribbon is created, initiated through the participation of the students. individually designed zones for playing, crafting, and gardening take shape. these fields can be overlaid on the school’s outdoor space like a grid and can be individually expanded or modified.

access
the circulation routes for the school remain unchanged. the outdoor configuration of the existing complex is of such high quality that no changes are required in the school area. the main entrance to the school is retained, and the existing outdoor classroom remains in place. in the kindergarten area, a new kindergarten path and a new covered access zone are created along the north side of all kindergarten rooms—a transitional space between the public street and the private group rooms, serving as an entrance, play, and waiting zone.

structural concept
the extension is designed as a solid construction. flat slabs span without beams over point supports or shear walls, ensuring high spatial flexibility. the ceiling above the ground floor is designed as a 45 cm thick voided slab to efficiently and economically accommodate the column offsets between floors. since only a few point supports are required, the foundation is simple to construct. horizontal bracing is achieved through the arrangement of shear walls along the existing building.

energy concept

kindergarten
in accordance with the minergie standard, in addition to a conventional low-temperature heating system supplied by district heating, a controlled mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery is required. this is implemented in accordance with normative requirements, supplying fresh air to all main rooms, group rooms, dining areas, and residential rooms. the fresh air is preheated and, if necessary, reheated to 22–25 °c and introduced into the rooms without drafts. exhaust air is extracted from ancillary rooms, cloakrooms, and sanitary rooms and passed through a ventilation unit with a high-efficiency counterflow heat exchanger (one unit per main/group room). to preheat the air in the ground, an air intake earth register is provided, eliminating the need for additional energy for frost protection of the heat recovery unit. combined with heat recovery, this system enables supply air temperatures above 17 °c year-round without reheating. reheating in the kindergarten occurs per room via a reheating coil integrated into the supply air duct system, allowing better adaptation to internal loads and passive solar gains. the winter gardens between group rooms are opened in summer and closed in winter, thus acting as climate buffers and contributing to energy savings. room heating is provided via floor and wall heating surfaces controlled by a weather-compensated system with individual room regulation.

school extension
in accordance with the minergie standard, in addition to a conventional low-temperature heating system supplied by district heating, a controlled mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery is required. this system supplies fresh air to the classrooms and other occupied spaces. the fresh air is preheated and, if necessary, reheated to 20 °c and introduced into the rooms without drafts. exhaust air is extracted from cloakrooms and sanitary rooms and passed through a central ventilation unit with a high-efficiency counterflow heat exchanger. reheating of the supply air occurs as needed via individual room reheating coils, optimizing the consideration of solar gains and internal loads. an air intake earth register is also provided for preheating the outdoor air, eliminating the need for additional energy for frost protection. together with heat recovery, this ensures supply air temperatures above 17 °c throughout the year without additional heating. room heating is provided via floor and wall heating surfaces controlled by a weather-compensated system with individual room regulation.

air well with ground air register
the ground air register serves to precondition (cool) the outside air in summer and to preheat it in winter. this results in more balanced indoor temperatures in summer and energy savings in winter. in addition, significantly more effective summer night cooling options are available, which, together with external shading and thermal mass, prevent overheating. outdoor air is drawn in through an air well with a coarse filter and supplied to the ventilation system via an underground pipe system—the ground register. the soil acts as a thermal mass, balancing both seasonal and daily temperature fluctuations. plastic pipes are used for the ground register system.

lighting concept
the lighting concept is designed to match room usage, ensuring both functional illumination of all areas and a suitable mix of general, task, and accent lighting that emphasizes the architectural character of the building. particular focus is placed on the use of energy-efficient lighting systems and led lighting with daylight control.

measurement, control, and regulation system
the building services systems are centrally monitored via a measurement, control, and regulation system designed as a freely programmable modular ddc system with building management and touchscreen interface. room temperature and air volume regulation, as well as lighting and shading control, are managed as needed through a bus-compatible individual room control system.