Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen’s Multi-Functional School
Located in central Zurich, Switzerland, the new vocational school for construction trades was designed by Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen to serve both educational and civic functions. The building maximizes classroom space while also contributing public areas to the surrounding neighborhood. The building’s elongated form follows the street edge, establishing a spacious courtyard that provides access to communal programs located on the first floor. This elevated level, designed as a truss frame structure, is suspended over the gymnasiums, which span from the basement to ground level.
Internally, the building is organized with a rational grid system on the upper levels, supporting classroom layouts that prioritize spatial efficiency. The first floor features a flexible, open-plan space intended for multiple functions. This space incorporates robust materials, curtain partitions, and multifunctional modular furniture to accommodate exhibitions, events, and hands-on construction workshops.
all images by Federico Farinatti
Exposed Concrete structure as Educational Tool in Architecture
The exposed concrete structure acts as a durable framework designed for long-term adaptability. This system-oriented approach by Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen Studio supports sustainability goals by allowing the building to evolve through future modification and reuse. Rather than presenting a fixed architectural image, the project foregrounds construction processes and user appropriation as key components of its identity. By integrating building systems into both the function and appearance of the structure, the vocational school becomes an active teaching tool, demonstrating construction techniques and architectural logic to its users.
project info:
name: Vocational school for construction trades
architect: Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen | @gunzkuenzle
location: Zurich, Switzerland
photographer: Federico Farinatti | @federicofarinatti
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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom