09.11.2020

Salez agricultural school wins architecture prize

Salez SG – Switzerland and Liechtenstein have jointly awarded the Constructive Alps architecture prize. The Salez agricultural school impressed with its climate efficiency to take first prize.

The Constructive Alps awards recognize projects that make a key contribution to sustainable construction and renovation projects in the Alps. Switzerland and Liechtenstein have now awarded this prize for the fifth time, as detailed in a press release. Overall, nearly 330 projects were submitted. A jury selected ten submissions, with the top three sharing prize money of 50,000 Swiss francs. The Salez agricultural school was awarded first prize.

The Salez agricultural school can therefore be regarded as a project that shows how architecture can successfully combine aesthetic qualities and climate efficiency, as revealed in the press release issued by the Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE). The building employs low-tech construction principles to keep the approach as simple as possible while at the same time offering the maximum building lifetime. The canton of St.Gallen and architect Andy Senn have together set new standards in terms of climate efficiency. An assembly workshop in Vorarlberg and a mountain guesthouse in Glarus were selected in second and third place respectively. In addition to seven commendations, a public prize was also handed out for the first time.

The Salez agricultural school consists of a conference center, a farming estate, national vineyard and orchard. It is operated by the Agricultural Center SG (LZSG) together with the practical trial plots in Flawil. The LZSG also has advice centers located in both Kaltbrunn and Sargans.