Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Wohlen High School and Santiago Calatrava


All I can say is, you've got to hand it to Santiago Calatrava when it comes to thinking outside the box - way outside.

The architectural firm of Burkhard, Meyer and Steiger engaged Calatrava to come up with designs for several different areas of the Wohlen High School, notably roof sections in highly visible public areas.

Starting with the area immediately outside the actual entrance to the school, Calatrava used what has now become almost a trademark design of his.

At first glance, the wing like structure of steel and glass appears to be symmetrical. However, further close inspection reveals that while the tubular arch bears a steady radial curve, the wings themselves emanating from this arch appear to be reversed end for end. One end is short, while steadily increasing in size until reaching the far end, some 20 meters away. Rather than the short end of the wings being directly opposite each other, they sit at opposing ends of the steel arch.

One other section which Santiago designed was the roof above the assembly hall. Looking very church like from the inside, there are a number of very decorative supporting arches upon which the actual roof rests. These arches, along with the delicate fin like structures which extend therefrom, are completely exposed on the inside. Calatrava has always been a believer that the structure of the building itself should be visible internally.

The two long clerestory windows on each side of the assembly hall roof are not structural, in that they do not need to add any support to the roof itself. This has been handled by the arch assemblies inside the hall.

Light from the high windows plays on the fins above the arches, in turn reflecting down into the hall below.

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