Stayin’ alive

Gellert elemen­tary school

In the middle of Basel’s Gellert­feld district, a lively school complex was built in the 1950s that still sets stan­dards today. Between 1951 and 1959, the archi­tect Julius Maurizio built two school buil­dings, a double gymna­sium, a singing hall with a jani­tor’s apart­ment and a kinder­garten in the newly deve­loped district. The archi­tec­ture combined prac­tical solu­tions with a char­ming, almost pavi­lion-like style which, despite its clear post-war prag­ma­tism, still radiates a special warmth today.

The Chris­toph Merian double gymna­sium, completed in 1959/63, forms the sporting heart of the complex. Gene­ra­tions of children learn and exer­cise here. The space is flexible, open and func­tional, just as a modern school needs it to be.

The reno­va­tion and conver­sion were carried out by MET Archi­tects.

Chris­toph Merian gymna­sium

The Chris­toph Merian double gymna­sium, built in 1959/63, is much more than just a place for sports lessons – it is the beating heart of Gellert elemen­tary school. With its spacious, open room concept, it invites children to play sports, let off steam and explore, while flexible areas also allow for targeted lessons or trai­ning sessions.

During the refur­bish­ment, the central wall was removed and modern chan­ging rooms and showers were added, so that move­ment and support are now seam­lessly inte­grated. New acou­stic clad­ding and wall surfaces trans­form the hall into a bright, lively space in which the sounds of balls and foot­s­teps do not boom, but create a friendly, stimu­la­ting atmo­sphere.

The inte­grated tech­no­logy in accordance with FOSPO guide­lines combines modern sports func­tion­a­lity with the histo­rical subs­tance – a hall that brea­thes history and at the same time allows the child­ren’s drive and energy to be felt.

Refur­bish­ment

The aim of the compre­hen­sive reno­va­tion of the school complex was to make it future-proof without losing its character. The plan­ners focused on sustaina­bi­lity: the supporting struc­ture was retained, while the roofs, shells, windows, tech­no­logy and inte­riors were carefully moder­nized. The result is bright, friendly rooms ever­y­where that meet today’s educa­tional requi­re­ments.

The inte­riors were embedded in a harmo­nious color and mate­rial concept. Wood paneling, doors, windows and artistic floor inlays have been refreshed, while new acou­stic ceilings, cellu­lose wall­paper, linoleum floo­ring and the speci­ally desi­gned “Gellert” ceiling light create a harmo­nious, invi­ting atmo­sphere. Every corner conveys the joy of lear­ning and commu­nity.

Energy

The school and sports hall are also fit for the future in terms of energy: district heating, night cooling and photo­vol­taics on almost all roofs cover most of the energy requi­re­ments, with any surplus being fed into the grid. The class­rooms and sports hall are mainly venti­lated using natural venti­la­tion, only the kitchen and sani­tary areas use mecha­nical venti­la­tion.

Follo­wing the reno­va­tion, Gellert Primary School and the Chris­toph Merian gymna­sium have remained a vibrant place that combines tradi­tion, archi­tec­ture and modern lear­ning in an inspi­ring way – and where children will be able to play, learn and exer­cise for many gene­ra­tions to come.