BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
COMMUNITY HALL LAUFENBURG
LB 09 COMMUNITY HALL LAUFENBURG, is the first title of a series of five LONG BOOKS by the architects Oliver Brandenberger and Adrian Kloter. The two Basel-based architects, regard the needs of future users to be a key aspect of conceiving new buildings, forming the basis of their designs. The resulting spaces have a high quality, where people feel comfortable and can develop. This volume begins with an interview conducted and written by Niki Zaugg, with the podcaster and editor Gülsha Adilji, which is intended to inspire further discourse. This LONG BOOKS series is aimed at inviting readers to engage with the relevance and function of public buildings. It questions existing structures and identifies requirements, in order to find answers for the contemporary design of public buildings. Other titles about this serie: LB 10 SCHOOL PFEFFINGEN Interview with the documentary filmmaker Anna Thommen LB 11 DOUBLE KINDERGARTEN RÜTI Interview with the organization developer Petra Slembek LB 12 SCHOOL AARWANGEN Interview with the urban psychologist Alice Hollenstein LB 13 SCHOOL BIRRWIL Interview with the author Zoë Jenny
AMAG LONG BOOKS COLLECTION brings together a unique selection of projects that establish new paradigms in architecture. With a contemporary and timeless conceptual graphic language, the 1000 numbered copies of each LONG BOOK will document works with different scales and formal contexts that extend the boundaries of architectural expression.
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“TO BE HONEST, I WOULD NEVER WANT TO TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BUILDING A COMMUNITY HALL.” AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PODCASTER AND EDITOR GÜLSHA ADILJI, WITH THOUGHTS FROM THE ARCHITECTS OLIVER BRANDENBERGER AND ADRIAN KLOTER.
Gülsha Adiliji became well known through her work on the former television channel Joiz. Although she is now a less frequent television presenter, her work always aims to be entertaining and thought-provoking. Gülsha Adiliji currently produces German TV programmes and the successful SRF podcast “Zivadiliring”.
Why did you agree to take part in this interview? Gülsha Adilji: I receive many different requests where I’m not sure why my opinion is relevant. That was the case when you contacted me. Architecture is not my field of expertise. But that is precisely why I enjoy agreeing to take part. These things offer insight into a new world and I like being open to new things. The Laufenburg community hall is situated at a peripheral, rural location. You grew up in a village, Niederuzwil. What kind of places were there for people to come together? Gülsha Adilji: As adolescents, we often met near the school or by the playground. We hung around there for hours, drinking the famous Migros Ice Tea. What about cultural events and festivities: was there somewhere to go in Niederuzwil? Or did you have to go to the nearest larger town? Gülsha Adilji: In Uzwil, there was a municipal or community hall. I went there on official occasions such as my secondary school graduation or when I became a Swiss citizen. It’s crazy that back then, the community still voted on whether I could become a Swiss citizen. Yesterday, I visited the community hall for the first time in a long while. Its smell made me very sad. Probably because it reminded me of important occasions. The community hall in Laufenburg is often used for family festivities. Did your family consider using the community hall in the same way? Gülsha Adilji: There are low thresholds to using community halls, so people dare to use them. It was the same for us. But my family never had such a big celebration, so we never hired the hall. Other families certainly used the venue. How do you think such thresholds are kept to a minimum? Gülsha Adilji: Basically, the municipal or community hall belongs to the people who live there. Our municipal hall had low-key fittings and the rooms were rather neutral. That makes people dare to change the rooms, shift furniture about and decorate the space as they wish. The rooms were also cheap to hire and it was simple to contact the relevant people. People knew each other in the village. So for people to come together, you need a space that can be appropriated and is accessible to everyone. Gülsha Adilji: That’s right. It’s also important that the community hall is at the centre of the community. And what is relevant in terms of facilities inside the municipal hall? Gülsha Adilji: I didn’t find the municipal hall in Laufenburg inviting. It reminds me of a gallery in Berlin, where you hang up two-metre paintings. The municipal halls that I know are made of wood or have sports-hall flooring. They have a traditional feel. Basically, it doesn’t matter
BRANDENBERGER KLOTER ARCHITECTS
what the community hall looks like. It’s much more important that everyone can turn it into what they need from it. Apart from the material, were there other aspects you picked up on? Gülsha Adilji: Yes, I visited other municipal halls and I noticed that they all have an inconspicuous appearance. In my opinion, the only thing that distinguishes the community hall in Laufenburg from others is that it looks very modern. Do you mean that the municipal hall in Laufenburg doesn’t seem so revolutionary compared to other existing municipal halls? Gülsha Adilji: I’d say so, from my layperson’s perspective. For me, the community hall in Laufenburg is like any other. Although if I were planning an exhibition, I’d do it in Laufenburg, not in Uzwil. Why not? Gülsha Adilji: Because the community hall in Laufenburg is more modern and therefore more adaptable. It feels to me like a canvas you can work with. I’d also organise a rave in Laufenburg. On the other hand, a yodelling festival would be more compatible with Uzwil. Architects: That input is very valuable. It’s true that the choice of colours and materials defines a community hall where the local residents can present themselves. Presumably, people in Laufenburg are not so much interested in presenting something as enjoying a celebration in the community hall. If you had the freedom to build a municipal hall, what would it look like? Gülsha Adilji: To be honest, I would never want to take on the responsibility of building a municipal hall. Firstly because I have no idea how to do it and secondly, some part of the community will always be dissatisfied with the result. So I’d say: it’s better if you do that, dear architects. Architects: The feeling’s mutual (laughter). How do you handle the criticism you face? Gülsha Adilji: That’s not the same kind of criticism. My criticism refers to me personally. I couldn’t care less what other people think of me. I’m the way I am and if people don’t like it, they are free to turn away or switch to another channel. But people are “forced” to use a community hall, so that’s a different matter. Architects: We see our task as providing society or politicians with as broad a range of possibilities as possible. We shouldn’t behave like all-knowing architects and must form a team with everyone involved. And honestly, at the end of the day there’s always criticism. Imagine we’re on Planet Gülsha. Only Gülshas live there and they all have the same opinion. What would a community hall look like then? Gülsha Adilji: OK. I see an enormous hall in a city centre. Anything can happen in the hall. I imagine a large, well-equipped kitchen where people can cook. There are two large staircases that lead along the wall up to a gallery, which in turn leads to many more rooms. Small and large ones that can be freely transformed. Then there are rooms that are already fitted. One has a green screen. Another has perfect light for photography.
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People live in the community hall. My municipal hall would be an open, familiar place with plenty of freedom. We could communicate and organise things using a WhatsApp group. Architect: Fantastic. That sounds like a municipal hall that is a small city (laughter). We should have community halls that award six-month art grants. The relevant artists would host the municipal hall. THIS INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED AND WRITTEN BY NIKI ZAUGG
Gülsha Adilji: That’s what a community hall should be like!
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COMMUNITY HALL LAUFENBURG
LAUFENBURG, SWITZERLAND 2012-2013
The new municipal hall in the Swiss town of Laufenburg, situated in the upper part of Fricktal, Aargau, is both a cultural meeting place and an event location for the entire region on either side of the Rhine, as well as a connecting and transition building at the intersection between urban development and the landscape. Instead of using a central concept, the architects Oliver Brandenberger, Stephan Buehrer and Adrian Kloter (Architektengemeinschaft BBKA, Basel/Zurich) developed a much more pragmatic, composed work based on three specific initial forces – historical responsibility with respect to the previous municipal building, which stood for many years, was extremely popular among the population and had to be replaced considerately; equally, the surroundings dominated by old-town, also large-scale building typologies, which strengthen the arm of the river and should be integrated into the local landscape zone; and finally the required intelligent building organisation to ensure highly variable utilisation and flexible occupation. All three conceptual elements are competently formulated and mutually combined to create a composed triad that inspires one to experience the building in an in-depth way, both in terms of its purpose – providing space for social life and daily coexistence – and from an architectural perspective.
reserved or dim foyer atmosphere, so that, as visitors enter the symmetrically organised festive hall, like a theatre – they sense the transition to a light-filled, inviting location, revealed by double doors inserted into niches – and above them: a ceiling rising up like a tent, covering the asymmetrical hip-roof structure, to create the overall impression of a contemporary design, a new interpretation of a festive hall.
Unlike the previous building, the new municipal hall is aligned towards the old town. This new placement defines the south-side conclusion of the existing urban structure and simultaneously generates a contrast to the strong old-town typology and the agricultural land. The entrance forecourt creates a freely usable open space, a green terrace by the Rhine. The northern edge of the development sets itself apart from the reclining area of the lido situated one level lower down. It is planned that the lido will form an urban-planning ensemble with the municipal hall in the future, thereby creating a clear conclusion to the terrace through its extension. The paved area along the street will in future provide parking spaces, as well as access for deliveries, and can be used for temporary exhibitions. The row of trees on the opposite side of Spitalstrasse forms the backbone of the plateau. The municipal hall’s building defines the eastern conclusion of the forecourt and creates differentiated spatial references. Visitors stroll through the trees along the Rhine terrace and are guided indoors by a striking incision in the volume – where they are greeted by a maximum-flexibility spatial concept. Four spatial layers that enable two differently sized, independently usable event units, structure the main and auxiliary rooms. They are arranged on such a compact floor plan that despite their many functions, they retain a clear, pragmatically developed spatial structure. A dark-painted wooden truss dominates the entrance area designed for small functions and gives it a rustic atmosphere. The walls and floors of light grey exposed concrete set themselves apart without undermining the deliberately
The atmospheric, timeless hall is clad in white, differently profiled wooden slats to express its festive character. They are the result of considerations concerning the acoustics, while also enveloping the construction and technical systems, but above all creating a uniform appearance for the diversely usable space. The slats run vertically in a dense pattern over the entire surface of the space and are held together by horizontally running boards. Depending on one’s perspective, the structure condenses into an apparently hovering roof or a finely structured wooden framework. This multifaceted spatial experience is accentuated by lighting integrated into the wall cladding, providing the right lighting atmosphere for every event. Fluorescent tubes on the ceiling evoke the effect of an impressively festive and even more spacious volume. A mobile, variable stage ensures maximum flexibility within the highly versatile floor plan, generating additional diversity of use. Functional elements such as sanitary facilities, the kitchen and storage rooms are positioned on the ground plan as closed volumes and thereby define the event areas of the foyer and hall. A uniform, robust terrazzo floor connects all main uses from the covered entrance area to the large festive hall. The loggia-like outdoor patio opens up towards the Rhine and the town, while appearing as an incision in the homogeneous monolith and stretching along the entire lateral side of the space, while enabling abundant light to enter the building. The impressive, polygonally folded roof is by no means formal playfulness and only appears to be exaggerated. Instead, its kinked areas visually frame the diverse structures. The framework deliberately rises above the load-bearing shear walls, while giving the striking roof its autonomous appearance; it uses its exalted form as an equally logical expression of the inner organisation. The glass surfaces and metal cladding are reserved compared to the solid, light-grey stained concrete structure. The charcoal grey roof tiles allow the visual integration of the large-scale photovoltaic system. The interaction between simplicity and targeted accentuation, both subtle and yet present, give the festive hall its modern appearance. With the building’s intuitive, almost archaic expression, the materialisation in wood and the carefully placed volume in its surroundings, the architects have provided space for festivities that are out of the ordinary – either in the cosiness of dimmed lights or in bright, airy openness. The surface presents the desired multifunctional hall, a place
of exchange and culture, as a monolithic new building that impresses on a large, urban-planning scale, on the level of spatial conception and construction, and also down to its details. At the same time, from a second, deeper perspective, the new municipal hall makes the elements of architectural implementation transparent with its simple basic form and structure, as well as its stringent accentuation, in a way as a three-dimensional screen. It is exemplary in showing what can be achieved with architecture that listens – a purged yet concise presentation of reduced complexity and the balanced interweaving of essential planning forces.
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COMMUNITY HALL LAUFENBURG LAUFENBERG, SWITZERLAND 2012-2013 Client City of Laufenburg Total built area 1’150 sqm. Site area 4’372 sqm. Architecture Brandenberger Kloter Architects In Collaboration: Stephan Buehrer Team Adrian Kloter / Head of Project Kristin Vullriede / Project Architect Oliver Brandenberger Stephan Buehrer Matthias Sutter Landscape Architect Hänggi Basler Landschaftsarchitektur GmbH Construction Management Lupo & Zuccarello Architekten AG Structural Engineer Ulaga Weiss AG Electrical Engineer Schäfer Partner AG Heating / Plumbing / Ventilation Engineer Bogenschütz AG Acoustic / building physics Engineer BAKUS Bauphysik & Akustik GmbH Signage Designer CoDe. Zürich GmbH, Mischa Leiner
Images © Basile Bornand / www.fotopraxis.click