Aaberg School
The tree-lined course of the Alte Aare and the trees along the Hans-Müller-Weg are characteris9c for the situa9on in Aarberg and create a linear exterior space between them. The narrow and elongated form of the new school building is placed as a con9nua9on of the tree corpus. Thus, the open space towards the Alte Aare remains undeveloped and the large- scale situa9on is strengthened. The new two-story school building is oriented on two sides, towards the schoolyard and towards the river. Generous canopies create aCrac9ve, weather- protected outdoor spaces and highlight the rela9onship between the interior and exterior spaces. The exis9ng height difference between Hans-Müller-Weg and the outdoor space on the river side is conected on the ground floor with a split level in the entrance area. The posi9oning of the new building makes it a complementary annexe on the school grounds and, with its low facade in wood, it wants to be read as part of the green space near the river.
The lower break area is located in the extension of the exis9ng sports areas, is openly designed and features different play and experience zones. Children of different ages find their respec9ve play niches and desired experien9al areas here. Due to its loca9on and design, the play and recrea9on area can also be used by the neighborhood outside of school hours.
The plan9ng is done with na9ve, site-appropriate trees, which can op9onally also be used as climbing trees. The school can benefit from their shaded areas as well as from the differen9ated seasonal appearance.
The new school building is planned as a filigree, simple wooden structure. The finely detailed construc9on and the wood make the building look small. Through the materiality and the ver9cal structure, the building interweaves with the vegeta9ve elements of the green space and differen9ates itself from the exis9ng school buildings. The individual spa9al units are readable and shape the rhythm of the facades. The new building behaves quietly and subordinate to the other school buildings.
The new school building is organized in clusters. On each of the two floors there are five classroom units oriented on two sides. On the ground floor are the kindergartens and the day school with direct access to the outside. The five room units are directly accessible from the outside via the open space on the Aare side and are internally connected by doors. The central staircase provides access to the classrooms on the upper floor from the main entrance and the corridor on the Aare side. The school and reserve rooms deliberately face the quiet break yard side. Here, again, the main rooms are directly connected with each other by doors, which allows for class-wide forms of teaching.
