The fire station and kindergarten are given an unusual shape
The municipality of Richterswil urgently needs a new fire station. The application to plan a new building has already been submitted – even before voting on the ballot box.
The fire station no longer complies with the requirements and must be renewed.
Photo: Michael Trost
Unstable terrain, insufficiently high entrance gates, drive out with extreme caution so as not to run into a building. This is the case at the Richterswil fire station. The building infrastructure is outdated. Therefore, four and a half years ago it was clear that the commune I need a new depot. In the meantime, the floor was supported to keep the building statics up to date with the requirements of emergency vehicles. However, as this is not a long-term solution, the municipality began building a new fire station in January this year at the top of the priority list.
At the same time, the commune announced that in addition to the depot, the neighboring Mettlen kindergarten would also be renovated. Plan: Today’s double kindergarten will be expanded to include a kindergarten with four classes and integrated into the new fire station building. A continuous underground car park is to be built under the new depot and kindergarten building.
No square buildings
Now there is a concrete project for a new building that the municipality has created itself. This shows that both buildings have quite unusual shapes. For example, a kindergarten resembles a pentagon with sides of different lengths, and a fire station is a bit like two trapezoids that were assembled on the sloping side. Additionally, the northern elevation of the depot and the southern elevation of the kindergarten are exactly parallel to each other.
These special floor plans are not accidental, explains Richterswil property manager Evelyn Meuter (SVP): “The shapes are dictated by the underground car park that runs underneath the buildings.” It is – also due to the course of the property – in the shape of the letter Z and offers 60 parking spaces. But why does the kindergarten need an underground car park at all? “It is also intended for the public. It solves part of the parking problem, ”explains Meuter. Because the Kerag area in particular is often congested.
Construction costs about 12 million
But not only the shape of the building is unique, but also the colors. At least that’s how it is in kindergarten. So the door is framed in color according to the current plan. The views of the building also show that colored squares are to be placed under some windows on the façade. The kindergarten should be designed in color, but the exact color scheme is not yet final, says Evelyn Meuter.
The double Mettlen kindergarten is to be replaced by a new building for four classes.
Photo: Michael Trost
Apart from these special elements, the other key features of the buildings are not distinguished by anything special. Both the depot and the kindergarten have two floors (not including the underground car park). The fire department receives a flat roof for the new building. The kindergarten will be built with a mono-pitched roof – a flat, sloping roof.
For the first time, there are also specific figures on how much it costs to build a building. The planning application estimates CHF 12.5 million. Of this, CHF 12 million goes to both buildings and CHF 500,000 goes to the surroundings. However, the final total cost cannot yet be quantified, says Evelyn Meuter. There may be additional costs related to the tender and other work.
Remarkable approach
Along with the project, the commune also issued a tender and a building permit. So she made a planning request before the people of Richterswil even voted for it. Typically, a vote is taken first, followed by a planning request.
That the order is reversed has to do with time pressure, emphasizes Evelyn Meuter. “We have to be able to build as fast as possible. If we get the building permit now, we can start the demolition works as early as October if the vote is positive next summer. ”
This would be a little earlier than announced in January. At that time, there was talk of starting construction in February 2024. Can’t you just postpone voting so that you can then submit a motion? Meuter explains that this is not possible because there are so many voices on other topics. “That’s why we prepared ourselves.”
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