comamala ismail inserts concrete nursery on steep slope in switzerland

nursery in ried-brig by Comamala Ismail

Comamala Ismail has completed a two-level nursery on a steep slope in Ried-Brig, a small village situated along the road that connects the Canton of Valais in Switzerland with Italy. The concrete-clad nursery is part of a three-way project that envisions an urban setting based on a ‘New Village Square’. From there, a series of footpaths takes the user through a sequence of different levels that lead to the three individual parts of the project: the Community House, the School Extension, and the Nursery. ‘Each of these buildings has a singular architectural expression as a sign of their direct correlation with the existing constructions and sports facilities,’ explains the Swiss architecture studio.

The first part of this three-way assignment, the nursery, lays at the higher part of the plot to the east, allowing it to keep a well-adjusted distance from the rest of the school complex. The building uses the steep slope of the terrain as an opportunity to create two ground levels.

all images by DMK Photography – Adrien Barakat

A CONCRETE NURSERY IN SWITZERLAND

The project site is situated at the entrance of Ried-Brig’s historic city center, which has been affected by a natural urban expansion during the last decades. The site encompasses the village school premises, a parking lot and a sports facility building, all of which are scattered on the existing geography and are the result of successive interventions throughout the years that have resulted in a space without a clear order and identity. ‘The project sought to solve these problems through punctual interventions disseminated through the site creating a new urban identity for Ried-Brig,’ notes Comamala Ismail.

Taking into consideration the issue of snow at an altitude of 900m, the architects have selected concrete as a building material for the nursery’s exterior facades. The building unfolds on two ground levels, one towards the street with its public entrance and the school restaurant, the other enclosing two kindergarten rooms facing the pastures. ‘Splitting the program into two different floors was also an elegant way of sorting out the safety aspects related to this kind of teaching facilities,’ explains the studio.

the structure works as a pivot, solving the street corner and the direct rapport with the neighboring sport-facility

TWO GROUND LEVELS WITH DISTINCT FACADES

The south facade of the nursery features a playful arrangement of openings in various sizes. Two big windows stand out, underlining the visual and spatial connection of the nursery with the astonishing surrounding landscape of the Swiss Alps. Meanwhile, on the north facade, Comamala Ismail has inserted a door-window that runs across the length of the nursery, allowing an easy and natural connection between the classrooms and the playground. The building is topped with a single pitched gable roof that accommodates a rooftop solar power system. ‘The use of concrete for the exterior facades was a logical choice,’ explains the team at Comamala Ismail. As a contrast to the nursery’s outside appearance, the interior is clad in wood, bringing comfort and coziness to the children’s experience of the space.

various openings visually connect the nursery to the surrounding landscape of the Swiss Alps

the north facade consists of one door-window that runs across the length of the nursery

a series of footpaths takes the user through a sequence of different levels

the building is part of a three-way project that envisions an urban setting based on a ‘new village square’

project info:

name: Nursery, Ried-Brig

architect: COMAMALA ISMAIL | @comamalaismail

team: Marie Frund-Eggenschwiler, Véronique Heissler, André Mota, André Paca

engineer: VWI Ingenieure – Civil engineering

client: Municipality of Ried-Brig

surface: 450 sqm

photography: DMK Photography – Adrien Barakat | @adrien_barakat

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom