Stiftung Kinderdorf Pestalozzi in Trogen
Project Description
"Make something from nothing with nothing" - in the preliminary course of Josef Albers at the Bauhaus Dessau, the architect Hans Fischli had learned to create with simple materials and robust techniques. After the second world war he was able to apply this approach to an idea of the philosopher Walter Robert Corti and transform it into a vision of "architecture as social act".
With the use of conventional construction and regional typologies, he built the "village for the suffering children" with volunteers from different nations in two years. Located on a hill close to the village of Trogen, the Pestalozzi Children's Village became a monument of international solidarity and a place for the cultivation of tolerance, Intercultural communication and the peaceful coexistence of cultures. As a heritage site, the houses are carefully renovated to today's standards by local craftsmen using simple and cost-saving materials and constructions. However, there is a need to convert former children's houses to new uses, to extend certain buildings but also to rethink the village as a whole.
Starting with the idea of "making something from nothing", our first task is to build immediately mock-ups in scale 1:10 and experiment in full scale with concrete, wood and metal that. These objects are distributed on the site as landmarks for orientation and will be part of the Pestalozzi jubilee exhibition in 2021. In a second phase, we will analyze landscape, topography, structure and typology of the settlement and try to formulate conceptual ideas to transport the village into the future. Supported by the teaching team of the children's village, we will learn about contemporary didactic concepts that allow us to enrich the architectural design process. The studio work will lead us to a quest for identity, in which we will constantly redraw the line between respecting tradition and exploring contemporary interpretations. A building workshop and an excursion to Appenzell are an integral part of the design studio.
With the use of conventional construction and regional typologies, he built the "village for the suffering children" with volunteers from different nations in two years. Located on a hill close to the village of Trogen, the Pestalozzi Children's Village became a monument of international solidarity and a place for the cultivation of tolerance, Intercultural communication and the peaceful coexistence of cultures. As a heritage site, the houses are carefully renovated to today's standards by local craftsmen using simple and cost-saving materials and constructions. However, there is a need to convert former children's houses to new uses, to extend certain buildings but also to rethink the village as a whole.
Starting with the idea of "making something from nothing", our first task is to build immediately mock-ups in scale 1:10 and experiment in full scale with concrete, wood and metal that. These objects are distributed on the site as landmarks for orientation and will be part of the Pestalozzi jubilee exhibition in 2021. In a second phase, we will analyze landscape, topography, structure and typology of the settlement and try to formulate conceptual ideas to transport the village into the future. Supported by the teaching team of the children's village, we will learn about contemporary didactic concepts that allow us to enrich the architectural design process. The studio work will lead us to a quest for identity, in which we will constantly redraw the line between respecting tradition and exploring contemporary interpretations. A building workshop and an excursion to Appenzell are an integral part of the design studio.
Participating Institutions
Frommelt Zimmerei & Ing. Holzbau AG
/ Partner
Gebr. Hilti AG
/ Partner
Stiftung Kinderdorf Pestalozzi
/ Auftraggeber
