Solothurnstrasse 102
2504 Biel
Biel: Schweizerische Hochschule für Holzwirtschaft
A wooden house
Planning and execution
1994 - 1999
Architects
Client
Bern Cantonal Building Authority
Civil engineers
Awards
Prix Lignum 1999
Description
The competition brief for the construction of the Swiss School of Wood Technology was based on the obvious premise of creating a pioneering timber building. Its completion between 1997 and 1999 marked the dawn of a new era in which Swiss timber construction technology became an international benchmark. The designers proposed an innovative solution that met the fire safety requirements of the time, thereby paving the way for multi-storey timber construction, which in 2015 led to an amendment to the Building Act and the possibility of constructing timber high-rises. The 94-metre-long school building in Biel stands confidently and compactly situated between the existing pavilions and workshops on the campus.
The rules of joining and connecting, which in traditional timber construction organise the separation between cladding and structure, are overturned: on the one hand, the structure itself takes on a disproportionately prominent role; on the other, the supporting structure is reflected as a form within the cladding. These design and structural investigations into the tectonic and physical expressiveness of large timber buildings not only venture into unfamiliar territory but also break with the tradition of structural continuity in timber construction.
Further information
Visits and guided tours
Type of tour: Guided group tours; no individual tours
Booking: Required
Group size: Maximum 20 people
Meeting point: In the courtyard, in front of the main entrance
Guided Tours
Saturday, 10:00-11:00 - Guided tours by architecture students of the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH
Saturday, 11:00-12:00 - Guided tours by architecture students of the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH
Saturday, 14:00-15:00 - Markus Peter, Partner at Meili Peter Architekten
Saturday, 15:00-16:00 - Markus Peter, Partner at Meili Peter Architekten
Directions
Take bus no. 2 to "Swiss Tennis", then walk back towards the main road (Solothurnstrasse) against the direction of traffic, then turn left and walk 100 metres back along the main road (approx. 4 minutes' walk). Meet in the courtyard.
Location
Solothurnstrasse 102
2504 Biel