On Wednesday 27 September, the International School Rheintal (ISR) in Buchs celebrated the opening of its new campus and thanked its supporters and sponsor of the building, the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, with an event.
ISR opened the doors of its new campus with over 180 students in August 2023. On Wednesday, with around 90 invited guests, partners and sponsors of the project, it celebrated the opening of the "ISR Campus", which was completed after only three years of planning and construction.
The three-storey building, with a capacity for up to 300 students, was designed and implemented by the Zurich-based architects from Kämpfen Zinke + Partner AG. The architectural firm, which specialises in sustainable and innovative timber buildings, won the architect design competition back in 2019.
In addition to representatives of the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, participants at the event included Councillor Beat Tinner, Deputy Head of Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein Sabine Monauni, Mayor of Buchs Rolf Pfeiffer, and President of the local municipality of Buchs Andreas Rohrer.
During guided tours in small groups, the guests were led through active inquiry-led lessons by students of ISR. The participants were not only able to get to know the sustainable construction made of local wood but also got an insight into the teaching and learning at ISR. The attendees took the opportunity to ask the students directly about the campus.
Afterwards, the guests were welcomed in the double gymnasium with an event stage, which is also shared with the town of Buchs. With the song "A Million Dreams" (from "The Greatest Showman"), students from kindergarten to grade 10 not only set the theme for the event but also for the future plans of the international school in Buchs.
Michèle Frey-Hilti, President of the Board of Directors of the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, which is the sole sponsor of the building project, emphasised in her speech the pioneering role of the school building with regard to innovative, sustainable materials. She also highlighted the central role of ISR for the region as an important addition to the educational offer in the region and its contribution to attracting international skilled workers.
"The new ISR campus is a milestone and a reflection of the first-class international education on offer in the region, which keeps Liechtenstein and the Rhine Valley internationally competitive." (Michèle Frey-Hilti President of the Board of Trustees Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein)
In a film-interview, the architects presented the special conceptual features of the building, such as the sprinkler system, which is not yet widely used in Switzerland, or the compound ventilation system, which supplies the "low-tech" building with fresh air without much technology.
"All the corridors are not just corridors, but also open learning and meeting zones. This multifunctionality of the spaces is something that makes the design very special in our eyes." (Beat Kämpfen-Federer, Co-Managing Director & Partner, Kämpfen Zinke + Partner AG)
Government Councillor Beat Tinner, Deputy Head of Government of the Principality of Liechtenstein Sabine Monauni, Mayor of Buchs Rolf Pfeiffer, and President of the local municipality of Buchs, Andreas Rohrer were also among the guests at the ISR that afternoon. They took part in a discussion on the future of the Alpine Rhine Valley, which was chaired by an ISR student from Grade 11. She did not miss the opportunity to ask her guests for their personal tips for a successful career.
The event was concluded by Liz Free, the director of the ISR since 2020. She thanked all parties involved in the building project, and in particular for the personal engagement of the Hilti family and the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein, which extended from the founding of the international school in 2002 until today.
"It has been a long process with fruitful discussions, starting with the question of what learning is, to what learning spaces can and should be as we create a world-leading community international school. Experts from different fields have worked together, learning about the needs of teachers and students to create the best possible learning environment for our students - and I am convinced we have succeeded," said Liz Free, Director and CEO of International School Rheintal.
International School Rheintal, located in Buchs, is the region's leading International Baccalaureate (IB) School. It is a non-profit school offering an international education in English for students aged 3-19 and a globally recognised diploma.
Medienkontakt
Friederike Geiselberger
Media and Communications
International School Rheintal
Werdenbergstrasse 17
9470 Buchs
Switzerland
[email protected]
Tel +41 81 750 63 03
Mob +41 79 956 67 71
