New lighting concept for Haldenacher primary school building in Birmensdorf, ZH

Increasing numbers of primary school pupils in the Canton of Zurich have led to the need for extensions to school buildings as the available space no longer meets requirements. As such, the Birmensdorf primary school also needed more rooms and therefore planned a new school building with ten classrooms and additional school rooms adjacent to the existing school area.

From the 62 tenders submitted for the architectural competition, the “Taliesin” project from the architecture firm Dürig AG was chosen as the winner. Using METRON Office, RIBAG was able to provide atmospheric lighting for ideal visual conditions in the interior space.

The new building’s exterior was designed with the existing Letten and Linden school facilities in mind. The new school building with subtly staggered façades was nestled between a stream and the street. Inside, classrooms were built slightly staggered around two core stairways, which double as emergency exit routes. Additional study and common areas were created between the classrooms and the core stairways, facilitating learning between classes. The classrooms’ corners being slightly offset allows efficient natural lighting. Varying parapet heights reflect the different potential uses for the classrooms, group rooms, and study areas. The exterior grading of the façade acts as a room divider on the inside and creates a cosy atmosphere.