The school “Littau Dorf” is located nearby Lucerne and is part of a bigger development area which includes many new buildings and more to come. The extended school complex, as the main open space of the area, has an important role within this quartier as a central gathering place. The existing two school buildings will be preserved and restored and extended by one new structure, which includes the three-fold gym as well as rooms for the kindergarten and various educational purposes.

The concept for the school extension envisions a solitary building containing multiple storeys, placed on a steep hill of a former quarry. By including a mezzanine floor, we aim to create a spatial dialogue between the different high-plateaus and its surroundings. Prominently, the building presents two individual and contrasting aspects. Facing the recess area, only three of the five storeys are visible, with respectful consideration of the existing main building. Towards the valley and the new sport campus, however, all five storeys are exposed and showcase the mezzanine. The formal, constructive, and programmatic arrangement of this “in-between” floor highlights its special function as the main linkage of the whole building.

To this effect, the 5,60 metre-high mezzanine allows the expansive outdoor space inside and creates an open gap through a setback of the façade. Functioning as the mediator of the house, the mezzanine is located centrally, holding up the top floors with two striking truss girders while at the same time holding the ceiling of the three-fold gym. Programmatically, the connective floor and its flexible layout offer the possibility for various usages not only limited to school events. In a broader perspective, the presented design comprises multiple buildings from various historical times and socio-cultural backgrounds, which embrace each other respectfully, yet with a strong identity.