The redevelopment of the Gare-Lac district is intended to open up the city centre of Yverdon-les-Bains (Canton Vaud, Switzerland) to the lake and provide much needed space. The residential and commercial district will be home to a total of 3,800 residents and create 1,200 jobs. The Pont12 architectural office together with a representative group for the technical trades won the architectural competition for the Collège des Rives school building.

The four-storey school building with its large bay windows links to the architecture of the industrial district. The new school accommodates 700 pupils between the ages of 11 to 16. The brightly illuminated atrium ensures short distances between the classrooms and is also a central meeting place where the young people can get together even during a short break. Concrete, wood and glass characterise the school’s appearance. The compact building is designed for long-term use and, of course, is extremely energy-efficient thanks to district heating and photovoltaic panels, among other things. It goes without saying that the builders also put priority on quality and durability in all other aspects of the building. The general contractor, Implenia Suisse SA, thus opted for a whole range of CONICA floor coverings, which were installed between February and July 2019.

Tranquillity and comfort through matching coverings

Schools are always rather lively places. The desire for a quiet learning atmosphere is often at odds with the adolescents’ urge to move, making it all the more important to identify and eliminate avoidable sources of noise. The decision makers thus wanted interior floor coverings with excellent impact sound insulation properties. Implenia Suisse SA thus installed CONIFLOOR LPC + floorings with a thickness of 6 mm that guarantee an impact sound insulation of -20 dB in accordance with ISO10140-1. The flooring was laid right on top of the concrete slab. The robust and low-emission system consists of polyurethane resin with SBR matting. It is certified according to TÜV ProfiCert premium product certification. This independent label certifies compliance with various health and environmental regulations, such as the ECO Minergie A label, making this flooring particularly suitable for public spaces such as schools and hospitals. CONIFLOOR LPC + also offers a very high level of comfort that is easy on the musculoskeletal system while providing the planner with a range of design options. CONIFLOOR LPC was used in the somewhat less critical areas. This flooring is likewise low-emission, impact-elastic, slip-resistant, easy on the joints and yet robust. The coloured and elastic polyurethane self-smoothing coating is primarily used in decorative and comfortable areas. A total of about 10,900 m² of CONIFLOOR LPC and CONIFLOOR LPC + are installed in the entrance area, corridors, classrooms and staircases of the Collège des Rives school.

Resilient: CONIFLOOR IES for the technical rooms

Implenia chose a particularly resistant flooring – CONIFLOOR IES – for areas subject to higher mechanical loads, such as the technical and storage rooms. It is resistant to impact and abrasion, chemical resistant, impermeable and easy to clean. As the flooring is both solvent-free and static conductive, it is often installed in critical areas such as analytical laboratories or the pharmaceutical industry. These areas of the school, too, are thus perfectly equipped to withstand their demanding everyday routine.

These CONICA floorings underline the builder’s claim to make a long-lasting and sustainable investment in the future of the Yverdon-les-Bains location with the Collège des Rives school.

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