Gunz & Künzle builds the Cantonal School Wattwil around a terraced timber atrium

Facade of the Cantonal School Wattwil with external blinds and timber columns

On the banks of the Thur River in Wattwil, Switzerland, Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen has completed the new Cantonal School Wattwil. Together with the Vocational and Continuing Education Centre on the opposite bank, the school forms a new educational campus. A bridge across the river connects the two schools and their outdoor spaces.

Bridge across the Thur River leading to the Cantonal School Wattwil

The school seen across the river through the trees

The design for the Cantonal School Wattwil came out of an open architectural competition in 2020. Planning ran from 2021 to 2026, and the building was completed in 2026 with a gross floor area of 14,730 square metres.

Long facade of the school beside a footpath and a large tree

Corner of the school building seen past a tree

The school seen between two trees on the riverbank

A landscape inside

The landscape of the Thur is brought into the school and becomes the centre of school life. A walkable, terraced landscape forms a generous atrium. It connects the floors and holds the shared facilities, so this is where students meet, learn, work and spend their breaks.

Timber atrium of the Cantonal School Wattwil with a white spiral stair

Atrium with galleries, timber beams and planted pots

Spiral stair rising through the timber atrium

Atrium seen from an upper gallery with tables below

Terraced atrium under a grid of timber beams and skylights

Curved corrugated wall at the base of the atrium

Planted pots in front of a curved wall in the atrium

Timber column and curved wall in the atrium

Classrooms and preparation rooms are arranged around this communal space. In this way, the building combines an open, shared heart with quiet, well-lit classrooms. It also leaves room for different forms of learning and social interaction.

Galleries and skylights above the atrium

Blue stepped seating in a learning space

Blue seating and a blue curtain in a learning space

Room seen through a glazed door with a round window

Café counter and tables beneath the timber structure

A simple timber structure

A simple timber structure gives the Cantonal School Wattwil a clear spatial order. It allows for flexible room layouts and makes efficient use of materials. Blumer-Lehmann carried out the timber construction, while Ingeni SA Zurich and Blumer-Lehmann handled the structural engineering.

Classroom with timber ceiling beams and large windows

Auditorium with a blue curtain under timber trusses

Auditorium with a stage, blue curtains and rows of chairs

Auditorium seen from the side under the timber roof

Covered outdoor space with a curved timber wall

Covered outdoor space with tables and timber columns

The programme of the Cantonal School Wattwil is broad. Alongside general classrooms and group rooms, the school has laboratories and preparation rooms for geography, computer science, biology, chemistry and physics. There are also rooms for arts and crafts, music classrooms, band rehearsal rooms and a media library. An auditorium with a stage and a restaurant with a production kitchen complete the list. The building holds SNBS Platinum sustainability certification.

Facade of the Cantonal School Wattwil behind a low hedge

Glazed facade of the school beside a street

The school behind a garden with trimmed shrubs

The new school seen beyond an older building on the street

Metal flue and round window on the school facade

Corrugated metal facade with external blinds and a round window

Front elevation of the school with timber columns at ground level

Drawings

Site plan of the Cantonal School Wattwil

Floor plan of the Cantonal School Wattwil

Roof plan of the Cantonal School Wattwil

Section through the Cantonal School Wattwil

Elevation of the Cantonal School Wattwil

Project Credits

Project: Campus Wattwil, Replacement Building for the Cantonal School (KSW)
Location: Ebnaterstrasse 46, Wattwil, Switzerland
Procurement: Open architectural design competition, 2020
Planning: 2021–2026
Completion: 2026
Gross floor area: 14,730 m²
Sustainability certification: SNBS Platinum
Client: Canton of St. Gallen, Department of Construction

Architecture: Gunz & Künzle Architekt*innen / @gunzkuenzle
Construction management: Ghisleni Partner AG
Timber construction: Blumer-Lehmann AG
Structural engineering: Ingeni SA Zurich, Blumer-Lehmann AG
Building physics and fire safety: Pirmin Jung AG
HVAC and plumbing engineering: Vadea AG
Electrical engineering: Schäfer Partner AG
Landscape architecture: Uniola AG
Facade engineering: EBP Schweiz AG
Art in architecture: lutz & guggisberg (interior), Florian Germann (exterior)
Graphic design and signage: mdbuero
Photography: Federico Farinatti / @federicofarinatti