The École Primaire de Geisendorf expands with a sustainable school pavilion, designed by David Reffo, using on-site pressed earth bricks made from excavation material. Located in Parc Geisendorf, Geneva, the structure blends with the existing pavilion ensemble, originally designed between 1953 and 1969, maintaining its connection to the landscape.
The pavilion follows a pentagonal floor plan, with load-bearing raw earth walls that define the interior layout. Natural ventilation, wooden beams, and recycled materials contribute to a low-carbon construction, reducing CO₂ emissions. The pressed earth bricks, produced on-site, were dried for four months before assembly, cutting transport emissions and demonstrating circular building practices.
The versatile spaces accommodate school activities, music rooms, and a neighborhood center, ensuring adaptive reuse. As the first load-bearing earth brick structure in Geneva, the project sets a new benchmark for sustainable school architecture.
