The new Guggach school complex in Zurich's Unterstrass district is a pioneering educational facility that combines architectural quality, ecological responsibility and functional flexibility. The three-storey elementary school offers space for around 260 children and is part of a comprehensive urban development concept that also includes a housing estate and a public neighborhood park.
The heart of the building is a spacious, unheated atrium that serves as a versatile meeting and learning space. Thanks to its opening to the park and the flexibly controllable roof and façade elements, the atrium adapts to the seasons. It is not only the defining architectural element of the building, but also symbolizes the openness and versatility of the entire complex.
The internal organization follows a cluster principle that intelligently combines learning, care and communal areas. The range of rooms is complemented by a double sports hall in the basement, which is also open to the local population.
Particular attention was paid to sustainable construction. The use of recycled concrete and the implementation of the Minergie-P-ECO standard contribute to achieving the City of Zurich's net-zero targets. The clear separation of the load-bearing structure, building services and extension allows for long-term flexibility and easy adaptation to future usage requirements.
A technical highlight is the BESISTA® Tension and Compression Rod System from Peikko. It contributes to the horizontal bracing of the supporting structure at certain points. It functions not only as a static but also as a design element and blends harmoniously into the overall architectural picture.
The atrium is surrounded by arcades, whose loads are transferred upwards via BESISTA® tension rods to a solid roof girder. The slender design of the BESISTA® systems makes concrete supports obsolete, so that the atrium remains open and flooded with light. Bar anchors with thread sizes M45 and M52 were installed throughout the building. These were prefabricated by Peikko and could be installed on site in just a few simple steps.
Another Peikko product is used in parts of the ceiling of the building: the PETRA® Slab Hanger for creating ceiling openings in prefabricated ceilings. It is suspended between two parallel slabs so that one or more slabs can be supported around the opening without the need for additional props. PETRA® is pre-dimensioned for most prestressed concrete hollow core slabs available on the European market.
The Guggach school complex is exemplary of a new generation of educational buildings that combine pedagogical requirements, architectural quality and ecological responsibility in a holistic concept.
