Open, transparent, flexible and lightweight: This is the impression made by the new Learning Centre SQUARE at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) designed by star Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto. The floor-to-ceiling glazed façade units with special Schüco AWS 90.SI CCF (Closed Cavity Façade) profiles required the highest level of precision in pre-fabrication, transportation and installation from all of the construction specialists involved.
| Type of Building | Education and research |
| Features | New build |
| Location | St. Gallen, Switzerland |
| Completion | 2023 |
| Architects | Burckhardt + Partner AG |
| Specialist company | Jansen AG |
| Picture credits | © Zeljco Gataric |
Born in Japan in 1971, Sou Fujimoto is known for his radical way of thinking within architecture. The question that has driven him since the beginning of his career is: What must architecture and space provide to meet natural human needs? For him, success can be encouraged by spaces that allow people to interact, participate and communicate with each other. These social success factors are now also considered to be pioneering in education and corporate culture.
The new campus building known as the SQUARE is not a traditional university building, but instead a place for “inspiring encounters and lively dialogue across social, disciplinary and cultural boundaries”, as stated by the HSG on its website. To ensure that these guiding principles are not an empty promise, Sou Fujimoto has designed a multi-level building volume on a square grid of 10 x 10 metres. It not only features maximum transparency on the inside, both vertically and horizontally, but also the use of the most neutral materials. This makes the architecture so transparent, flexible and open that it encourages students to engage in creative, interdisciplinary and participatory learning.
To achieve the greatest possible degree of transparency and light in the interior and, in particular, through the façade, a sophisticated building envelope with glazed floor-to-ceiling, spandrel-free façade units was required. These are completely separate from the open building structure and directly connected to each other. While spandrels usually allow for adjustments and greater tolerances, the façade construction of SQUARE was only permitted to have the smallest possible tolerances. Aepli AG pre-fabricated the façade units in a closed cavity façade (CCF) in the factory using special profiles from Schüco based on the Schüco AWS 90.SI (Super Insulated) window system.
The Schüco AWS 90.SI aluminium window system perfectly meets structural requirements while offering the greatest possible architectural freedom – and was used here in the form of large, almost completely frameless windows to achieve the desired visual transparency. A further advantage for ambitious specifiers and architects when using Schüco AWS 90.SI is the wide range of profiles within the system platform, including corner and structural profiles, symmetrical and asymmetrical mullions, and additional combination options, such as Schüco sun shading and ventilation systems.
For the doors, the Schüco ADS 75 HD.HI (Heavy Duty.High Insulation) aluminium door system was used. It combines maximum durability with multi-functionality and offers attractive design options – perfect for challenging commercial buildings with high security requirements. The extremely stable Heavy Duty system is designed specifically for heavy or oversized door leaves with large opening widths and high levels of continuous loading. Additionally, it can be used as a multi-functional door, including integration in building security and automation systems, e.g. as a panic door in office and public buildings, hospitals and schools.
