ContinentaleBinôme. Two siblings with a lot of empathy

location:  Broc (Fribourg), Switzerlandyear:   2024program:Primary school, kindergarten and multifunctional hallstatus:Open competitioncollaborations:fala atelier 
Officina del Paesaggio (landscape architecture)
Le Collectif SA (structural engineering)

Broc is a village next to the Alps. The village is growing and the expansion of the school at the heart of the village is an occasion for thinking about a new public space for the community. Engaging empathetically with the imagery of Alpine architecture – proud roofs and compact volumes – we designed two sibling buildings touching at a corner. Together, they frame a system of open spaces, delineating a soft yet clear transition from the village realm to the school one. The smaller building houses a multifunctional hall open to the village square, while the larger one contains a kindergarten and a primary school: entrance to both is at the point of junction. A loggia softens the transition from the interiors to the outdoor spaces, transforming the garden into an extension of the classrooms. Two rooftop lanterns bring daylight into the main spaces of both buildings: the hall connecting  the classrooms and the library is a generous bright learning landscape.