A Building That Remembers Its City

The extension of Collège des Parcs in Neuchâtel, Switzerland was completed in 2025. Designed by Stoa architectes, the project spans 3,500 square meters and adds two sport halls to the existing educational complex.

Why It Matters

According to the architects, the building goes beyond functional expansion — it pays particular attention to Neuchâtel's architectural tradition and heritage. The design embraces a contemporary expression while remaining in dialogue with the city's historical fabric. The project is seen as a reference for how educational infrastructure can engage meaningfully with its urban context.

The lead team included Pascal Deschenaux, Anne-Claire Gandor, Gala Urroz, and Bertrand Moret. A broad coalition of engineering and consulting partners contributed across civil, mechanical, lighting, and environmental sustainability disciplines. Landscape architecture was handled by Paysagestion, with environmental sustainability consulting by Grolimund + Partenaires.

In the Flow of Educational Architecture

Across Europe, school extensions have increasingly become opportunities for urban regeneration rather than mere capacity additions. In Switzerland, where cantons independently manage educational infrastructure investment, compatibility with local architectural heritage carries significant weight in design evaluation. Neuchâtel, with its strong tradition of neoclassical public architecture dating to the late 19th century, presents a particularly demanding context for new interventions. The Collège des Parcs extension offers one considered response to that challenge.

Photography by Paola Corsini.