Switzerland – Consultative engineering and construction services – Albus - St-Aubin School

Opportunity description

The project provides for the construction of a new school while maintaining operation of the site through the phasing of the works in three successive stages. This organization constitutes one of the main challenges of the civil engineering assignment. It requires rigorous planning, constant anticipation of the interfaces between the different phases, as well as close coordination with the contracting authority, the team of consultants and the contractors. The objective is to guarantee the safety of users, the continuity of activities, compliance with deadlines and cost control throughout the project. The first stage consists of the deconstruction of the school pavilion known as “La Grange” and the existing garages in order to free up the areas necessary for the construction of the new school. In order to ensure the continuity of school activities during this phase, three variants can be implemented independently. The first provides for the installation of temporary classrooms on the school site, while the second and third consist of installing a temporary pavilion at the location of the “sports site” or the “agricultural site.” During this phase, the civil engineer is responsible for analyzing the site constraints, identifying the existing networks, defining the measures needed to preserve the stability of the land and neighboring structures, and planning the earthworks as well as the adaptations to the underground infrastructure and foundations of the temporary pavilions. Particular attention is paid to organizing construction-site access, the safety of site users and the recovery of materials resulting from the deconstruction as part of an environmentally responsible approach. The second stage corresponds to the construction of the new school complex and the conversion of the existing building known as “La Ferme.” The selected construction concept is based on a structural system composed of prefabricated timber walls, organized according to a regular grid common to all the buildings. This repetitive typology makes it possible to develop a solution that is rational, economical and easily reproducible. The use of timber as the main material limits the use of concrete, which is essentially reserved for the foundations and base of the buildings, thereby helping to reduce the project’s carbon footprint. The prefabrication of the structural elements is also a major advantage, since it makes it possible to reduce the duration of on-site work, control the quality of execution and reduce construction-related disturbance for pupils, teaching staff and local residents. This phase encompasses the project’s main technical challenges. The civil engineer designs and sizes the structures while seeking durable, robust and economically optimized solutions that comply with SIA standards and the contracting authority’s requirements. The engineer ensures the harmonious integration of the new constructions with the retained buildings, coordinates the interfaces with the other disciplines, particularly architecture, building systems and outdoor developments, and ensures the compatibility of the structures with the site’s geotechnical conditions. Particular attention is also paid to water management, adaptation of the networks, safety during the works, and monitoring of quality, costs and the execution schedule. The third stage corresponds to the outdoor developments, including the village square, which must be designed as a flexible and welcoming space offering great value in use for residents and visitors, and the interfaces with neighboring plots. The bus stop, which is part of the competition perimeter, is not the subject of these specifications. Procedure: open. Review the original TED notice for the complete requirement, lots, amendments and attachments.