Project development

Our focus is on the design, planning, construction and management of Swiss International Boarding and Day Schools.

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In the construction of a new Swiss International Boarding and Day School in South America (for example in countries such as Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Chile or Peru), the priorities of the interdisciplinary team are shifting drastically.

 

In addition to the general tasks, there are specific, highly complex regulatory, climatic and cultural factors that our team can and must cover.

 

Our interdisciplinary team has the following competencies and tasks for this specific project:

 

1. Law and State Recognition (The "Two-Curriculum Dilemma")

• Task of the team: In South America, most countries (e.g. the MEC in Brazil or the MINEDU in Peru) require compliance with the national curriculum and proof of local qualifications. At the same time, the school is to offer the Swiss Matura or the International Baccalaureate (IB).

• Experts in the team: local constitutional and educational lawyers as well as bilingual school developers. They must develop a hybrid curriculum and ensure that the school can be officially recognised and financially supported by both the host country and the Swiss Confederation (in accordance with ).

 

2. Architecture and Building Physics (Tropical and Earthquake Competence)

• Task of the team: Depending on the exact region in South America, extreme climatic conditions (tropical heat, high humidity) or massive seismic activity (e.g. in Chile or Peru) prevail.

• Experts in the team:

  • Seismic Engineers: Indispensable on the west coast of South America to calculate earthquake-resistant campus structures.

  • Specialists in bioclimatic architecture: In tropical regions (e.g. Brazil), the team has to rely on passive cooling, natural cross-ventilation and maximum sun protection. Pure glass facades based on the European model would drive the energy costs for air conditioning systems immeasurably.

 

3. Security and residence infrastructure (high-end security)

• Task of the team: The need for security for international elite schools and boarding schools (often attended by children of international expatriates, diplomats or wealthy local families) is extremely high in many South American metropolises.

• Experts in the team: security consultants for the infrastructure. They are planning the area according to the principle of the "gated community": surveillance zones, biometric access controls for the boarding school wing, secure locks for the morning pick-up and delivery service (day students) and protected transport logistics.

 

4. Boarding school operation vs. local culture (boarding concept)

• Task of the team: The concept of "full boarding" (students live on campus 7 days a week) is historically less anchored in South America than in Europe. In addition, pastoral care for international and local students requires a high degree of intercultural sensitivity.

• Experts in the team: intercultural psychologists and experienced Swiss boarding school directors. They design living areas that combine "Swissness" (punctuality, structure, autonomy) with the reality of South American life and family warmth.

 

5. Finance and currency risks

• Task of the team: Construction and operation requires considerable investment. South American markets tend to be high inflation and currency volatility.

• Experts in the team: international financial economists. We must develop a dual fee model (e.g. pegging boarding school fees to the US dollar or Swiss francs, day school fees in local currency) and tax-optimised import channels for teaching materials and laboratory equipment from Switzerland.