A circus chooses timber construction

Trucks, tractors, animal transporters, motorhomes, tent trailers, office trailer and much more besides: Switzerland’s National Circus Knie uses a fleet of around 150 vehicles to tour the Swiss cantons every year. These carry the over 1,000 tonnes of equipment needed to assemble and dismantle the circus at each site. Then, when it takes a break for the winter, the entire circus entourage heads for the Swiss town of Wagen in St. Gallen. As its original 1970s depository was beyond repair, the circus decided to build new winter quarters with centralized storage and also space for the workshops.

Designed by the Swiss architectural bureau Raumfindung Architekten, the construction goes beyond merely fulfilling functional storage needs. Its timber design is both pioneering and aesthetically sophisticated.

Hybrid wood/concrete construction

This is the second time that Circus Knie has opted for timber. When the Swiss offshoot of the famous circus dynasty built its magician’s hat in Rapperswil as a multifunctional events location at Lake Zurich, modern timber construction was likewise its preferred approach. But in contrast to the expressive free-form structure chosen for the magician’s hat, these winter quarters have more rational planning.

The support structure consists of a hybrid construction that combines wood and concrete. V-shaped columns and beams extend across from east to west, allowing support-free drive aisles for the many circus vehicles. “The roof projection around the building protects the façades and creates a canopied exterior area for the workshops,” explain the architects at Raumfindung, who were responsible for the design.

Timber reduces grey energy

Besides the service core, cast-in-place concrete was used for the foundations and floor slab, while the bases for the V columns were prefabricated. In the middle section of the building, an upper floor enables storage of large props.

The slightly inclined butterfly roof is equipped with a photovoltaic system that supplies the building with its own power. This minimizes the carbon footprint for daily operations, while wood – as a renewable construction material – reduces the amount of grey energy involved in assembling the structure. Grey energy is the entire non-renewable primary energy required for production, transportation, storage and disposal of a building.

Downsizing the hall

When the new winter quarters were initially planned over ten years ago, they were equipped with a much larger amount of space. The original design envisaged a height of almost 20 metres. However, changes to the tour itinerary meant that the circus now only takes a one-month break and so its winter quarters could be downsized.

At a height of 8.5 metres, the new building fits in well with the surrounding landscape – something that is also in the interests of local residents in the little town of Wagen. In addition, the boundaries of the grounds will be lined with trees. “The restrained wooden façade, extensive roof greening as well as targeted measures for the adjacent area will altogether embed the winter quarters appropriately in the surrounding landscape,” the project description reads.

A long lifecycle

Just by looking at the large building with its accordion doors at the sides, you can see clearly that a circus requires major logistical planning. This superior timber construction has given Circus Knie more than just attractive and sustainable winter quarters. It is also safe to say that the new project will have a much longer lifespan than the old hall.

A well-maintained wooden building with sophisticated structural protection for the timber can be expected to outlive several generations. This is evidenced by the well-preserved stave churches in Scandinavia which show how a wooden structure can last for as long as a thousand years.

Text: Gertraud Gerst
Translation: Rosemary Bridger-Lippe
Photos: Raumfindung Architekten