Stacked chalet
The proposal for the new school building sits nestled amongst the canopy of existing trees. The building, housing the triple sports hall and 24 classrooms, stacks the programmatic uses to preserve the park-like character. The public functions are accommodated at the ground level and the classrooms and shared school facilities in upper levels, with the triple sports hall stacked on the top floor.
The building’s compact plan and structured hierarchy strategically forms various outdoor spaces and playgrounds. The triple sports hall and the playgrounds can be accessed independently by the residents and public at all times.
The landscape strategy, in line with the objective, preserves the unique character of the site as an open meadow lined by trees. Covered loggia at the street level links the building and the outdoor spaces; it organises all the entry points. The liminal threshold between inside and outside is freely inhabited by students. By opening all the classrooms to a large central hall that can accommodate informal teaching activities instead of creating separate hallways, the building gains a civic presence that transcends its immediate function.
The result is a building that comprises repeating references of stacking on multiple levels. The building is contracted into a minimal core area on the ground floor with a cantilever on top to avoid building above the underground services. The facade of the building hangs from the projecting frame structure at the ground level to embrace the adjacent trees. The triple sports hall, the largest and highest space, crowns the entire building.