#WHITE #ORNAMENT #CONCRETE
Bearth & Deplazes Architekten: www.bearth-deplazes.ch
Durisch + Nolli Architetti: www.durischnolli.ch
The new Federal Criminal Court’s building is located along Viale Stefano Franscini, in place of the former School of Commerce, which has been completely preserved the main building on two levels. This one was built as the representative head but sober, neoclassical, and continues to play, also after the restructuring and conversion, the function of the main entrance. Behind the head of the existing Court there is the new wing, built on three floors.
Two underlying themes characterize the architecture and the interior design of the Court as two apparently opposite polarity: the smooth surface of white concrete and the plastic decoration of the classrooms. The new building is conceived as an ‘evolved’ shell construction: the property was executed in white concrete beams with smooth formwork with the precision to minimize the finishing work. The halls of the Court have a square plans. They are surmounted by a truncated pyramid – shape dome that end with skylights to fill the depth of the halls with zenithal light .
The sides of the domes are characterized by a rich pliant ornamentation, which in some ways evokes the baroque stuccos. In fact, they are formed by the combination of prefab triangular concrete panels, which together also constitute load-bearing structures. To solve the problem of the acoustics of the halls, the panels were punched with phono-absorbing holes. Circular in shape, but with tapered development towards the rear, the holes are woven in the ornament design until becoming an integral part of it.
CREDITS
Architects:
Bearth & Deplazes Architekten, Chur/ZA?rich | Valentin Bearth – Andrea Deplazes – Daniel Ladner
Durisch + Nolli Architetti, Massagno | Pia Durisch – Aldo Nolli
Location: Bellinzona, Switzerland
Surface: 9,514 Sqm
Year/Status: 2013/completed
Client/Contractor: Federal Department of Finance, Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics, Republic and Canton Ticino
Construction and Cost management: Rolando Spadea e Marco Bondini Sagl, Lugano
Structural engineering: JA?rg Buchli, Haldenstein
Ingenieurgemeinschaft Edy Toscano AG, Rivera / Conzett Bronzini Gartmann AG, Chur
Electrics, Security, Fire, Lightning: Erisel SA, Bellinzona
Mechanical engineering, Construction physicist, Heating, Ventilation, Sanitary, Lightning: Amstein + Walthert AG, ZA?rich
Room Acoustics: Dr. Dorothea Baumann, ZA?rich
Lanfranchi Ing nierie Informatique et Acoustique, Assens
Specialists: Gramazio & Kohler GmbH, ZA?rich
