Located in the Martigny region of Valais, Switzerland. The Fully-Saxon Middle School was put out to tender in 2011, and the jury approved the "compactness of the school and the energy pillar of the building" proposed by SMI Design, which was completed and has been welcoming nearly 400 students (11-14 years old) since January 2016.
The name Fully-Saxon High School was chosen because it was the first time that students from the towns of Fully and Saxon were brought together, with two-thirds of the students from Fully and one-third of the students from Saxon. The purpose of the school is to provide "a common building and facilities" for students and teachers from both towns.
The project has 50 classrooms that enjoy optimal natural light, which is regulated by the multiple opaque and transparent windows that make up the façade. At the same time, the glass reflects the image of the mountain and incorporates the vine landscape of the town of Fully. The connection of the two wings of the building gives depth and superimposition to the elements through the reflection of the glass on the façade.
Although the two buildings was constructed in an offset manner, they were still constrained. By giving the visual impression of a complete separation of the two buildings, it gives an intimate linking aspect to the central area of the school while providing more space to the site.
The layout of the building is such that you do not get a sense of its true size. When you are in one or the other part of this building, it is like you are in a cocoon.
On the aesthetic level, this building has clean lines and is built using precious metals, wood, and concrete. Beyond that, the interior is visually soft, including skylights located at the center of each element. By playing with the blocks and staircases, an impressive and relaxed feeling is created for this middle school.
On the technical side of the building, the energy efficiency of the glass complex is also a major centerpiece. To increase the building's autonomy and performance, solar panels are installed on the roof. In addition, heating is generated by a heat pump. Using the location of the site, the heat pump takes in heat directly from the surrounding water table.
In order to combine aesthetics and technology, all ventilation elements are concealed indoors, dedicated to ventilation, heating and electricity in the rooms, and cannot be seen from outside. From the ground, only the solar panels are visible.
The project has achieved promising results in terms of temperature and regulation levels of the building and has passed the test of deep winter and extreme heat. For example, when the outdoor temperature is 32 degrees, the indoor temperature is only 23 degrees.