In Dail­lens, the rural eco­no­my re­invents sports chan­ging rooms

When a client opts for exemplary and sustainable construction, they offer their project team a genuine field for experimentation. In Daillens (VD), a small municipality of 1,100 inhabitants, the local council sought to replace the changing rooms for FC Venoge. What appeared to be a modest programme turned out to be a remarkable architectural opportunity for the firm Localarchitecture.

Selection of articles in english
Publikationsdatum
08-05-2025
The pavilion blends into the rural landscape.

1 / 12

The pavilion blends into the rural landscape.
Matthieu Gafsou
Every detail has been designed to ensure that the elements can be easily dismantled and reused, from the fixing of the concrete slabs to the assembly of the roof and its photovoltaic panels.

2 / 12

Every detail has been designed to ensure that the elements can be easily dismantled and reused, from the fixing of the concrete slabs to the assembly of the roof and its photovoltaic panels.
Matthieu Gafsou
The facades are clad in panels of larch from trees felled in Daillens itself.

3 / 12

The facades are clad in panels of larch from trees felled in Daillens itself.
Matthieu Gafsou
The refreshment area is open to sportsmen and women at the end of matches.

4 / 12

The refreshment area is open to sportsmen and women at the end of matches.
Matthieu Gafsou
The walkway serving the pavilion offers the public a bench sheltered from the sun.

5 / 12

The walkway serving the pavilion offers the public a bench sheltered from the sun.
Matthieu Gafsou
The four volumes are insulated with straw bales supplied by local farmers.

6 / 12

The four volumes are insulated with straw bales supplied by local farmers.
Matthieu Gafsou
Site plan of the project. Localarchitecture's pavilion runs alongside the football pitch, forming a porous boundary between the heart of the village (to the east) and the countryside (to the west).

7 / 12

Site plan of the project. Localarchitecture's pavilion runs alongside the football pitch, forming a porous boundary between the heart of the village (to the east) and the countryside (to the west).
Localarchitecture
Plan of the new FC Venoge changing rooms, comprising four volumes linked by a vast roof whose elegant curvature marks the central axis.

8 / 12

Plan of the new FC Venoge changing rooms, comprising four volumes linked by a vast roof whose elegant curvature marks the central axis.
Localarchitecture
Elevation of the south gable

9 / 12

Elevation of the south gable
Elevation of the south gable
Section through the changing rooms

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Section through the changing rooms
Localarchitecture
Section through the refreshment room

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Section through the refreshment room
Localarchitecture
Diagram showing the circularity of the project. Most of the building materials were sourced locally.

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Diagram showing the circularity of the project. Most of the building materials were sourced locally.
Localarchitecture
The pavilion blends into the rural landscape.

1 / 12

The pavilion blends into the rural landscape.
Matthieu Gafsou
Every detail has been designed to ensure that the elements can be easily dismantled and reused, from the fixing of the concrete slabs to the assembly of the roof and its photovoltaic panels.

2 / 12

Every detail has been designed to ensure that the elements can be easily dismantled and reused, from the fixing of the concrete slabs to the assembly of the roof and its photovoltaic panels.
Matthieu Gafsou
The facades are clad in panels of larch from trees felled in Daillens itself.

3 / 12

The facades are clad in panels of larch from trees felled in Daillens itself.
Matthieu Gafsou
The refreshment area is open to sportsmen and women at the end of matches.

4 / 12

The refreshment area is open to sportsmen and women at the end of matches.
Matthieu Gafsou
The walkway serving the pavilion offers the public a bench sheltered from the sun.

5 / 12

The walkway serving the pavilion offers the public a bench sheltered from the sun.
Matthieu Gafsou
The four volumes are insulated with straw bales supplied by local farmers.

6 / 12

The four volumes are insulated with straw bales supplied by local farmers.
Matthieu Gafsou
Site plan of the project. Localarchitecture's pavilion runs alongside the football pitch, forming a porous boundary between the heart of the village (to the east) and the countryside (to the west).

7 / 12

Site plan of the project. Localarchitecture's pavilion runs alongside the football pitch, forming a porous boundary between the heart of the village (to the east) and the countryside (to the west).
Localarchitecture
Plan of the new FC Venoge changing rooms, comprising four volumes linked by a vast roof whose elegant curvature marks the central axis.

8 / 12

Plan of the new FC Venoge changing rooms, comprising four volumes linked by a vast roof whose elegant curvature marks the central axis.
Localarchitecture
Elevation of the south gable

9 / 12

Elevation of the south gable
Elevation of the south gable
Section through the changing rooms

10 / 12

Section through the changing rooms
Localarchitecture
Section through the refreshment room

11 / 12

Section through the refreshment room
Localarchitecture
Diagram showing the circularity of the project. Most of the building materials were sourced locally.

12 / 12

Diagram showing the circularity of the project. Most of the building materials were sourced locally.
Localarchitecture
The pavilion blends into the rural landscape.
Every detail has been designed to ensure that the elements can be easily dismantled and reused, from the fixing of the concrete slabs to the assembly of the roof and its photovoltaic panels.
The facades are clad in panels of larch from trees felled in Daillens itself.
The refreshment area is open to sportsmen and women at the end of matches.
The walkway serving the pavilion offers the public a bench sheltered from the sun.
The four volumes are insulated with straw bales supplied by local farmers.
Site plan of the project. Localarchitecture's pavilion runs alongside the football pitch, forming a porous boundary between the heart of the village (to the east) and the countryside (to the west).
Plan of the new FC Venoge changing rooms, comprising four volumes linked by a vast roof whose elegant curvature marks the central axis.
Elevation of the south gable
Section through the changing rooms
Section through the refreshment room
Diagram showing the circularity of the project. Most of the building materials were sourced locally.

The ambitions were clear: to create spaces for sports associations, encourage social interaction, limit noise pollution, and embody a sustainable approach to construction. The mayor, Alberto Mocchi, aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of alternative environmentally responsible practices.

Set along the edge of the football field, the new timber pavilion unfolds symmetrically around a central axis. Beneath a shared roof, four volumes are organised: the changing rooms at the ends, and the refreshment bar at the centre. Raised to accommodate the site's flood-prone ground, the construction incorporates a covered walkway. To the south, a pétanque facility; to the north, public toilets adjoin a playground. The sheet metal roof, shaped with a large curve marking the central axis, integrates delicately into the Jura landscape.

The façades are clad with larch slats sourced from the communal forest — 45 m³ of logs sawn in Corbeyrier (VD). The insulation relies on 1,200 straw bales supplied by two local farmers. Their dimensions determined the structural grid, creating a syncopated rhythm along the walkway. The timber frames, prefabricated in Collombey-Muraz (VS), were specially designed to incorporate the straw.

Moisture, the principal technical challenge, led to the implementation of a carefully designed ventilation strategy. Perforated panels on the façades promote air circulation. The foundations, kept to a minimum, rest on ground beams that enhance ventilation. The cold roof is separated from the insulation, and rainwater is collected and infiltrated into the ground via a gutter system.

Circular economy principles are at the heart of the project: the excavated earth was used to shape a play mound and a noise-reduction embankment. A former players' shelter now houses the heat pump, and leftover sheet metal was reused to clad the bar. The changing rooms, in the colours of FC Venoge, expose formaldehyde-free wood fibre panels. All elements were designed to be dismantled and reused. Finally, 363 m² of photovoltaic panels ensure the building’s energy self-sufficiency. Compliant with the Minergie-P Eco standard, the pavilion integrates a dual-flow ventilation system that removes moisture from the showers.

Awarded the Bronze Rabbit by Hochparterre, this manifesto project proves that it is possible to combine environmental performance, frugality, and architectural precision.

Sports infrastructure, Daillens (VD)

 

Client: Commune de Daillens

 

Architecture and site supervision: Localarchitecture, Lausanne / Zurich

 

Civil engineering: 2M Ingénierie Civile, Yverdon-les-Bains

 

Timber engineering: Cambium ingénierie, Yverdon-les-Bains

 

Landscape architect: Pascal Heyraud, Neuchâtel

 

Timber construction company: Amédée Berrut Construction bois, Collombey-Muraz

 

Prefabrication: Préfabriqué, Neuchâtel

 

External carpentry: Gindraux, Le Mont-sur-Lausanne

 

Interior carpentry: Gallarotti, Carouge

 

Sawmill: Scierie de Corbeyrier, Roche

 

Competition: 2020

 

Completion: 2024

 

Floor area: 690 m2

 

Construction cost (excl. VAT CFC 2): CHF 2.9 million

The original article was written by Audanne Comment and can be consulted at https://www.espazium.ch/fr/actualites/durabilite-sobriete-et-circularite-le-fc-venoge-engrange-trois-points or in the February 2025 issue of TRACÉS magazine. This summary was generated by the AI Claude, translated using DeepL, and edited by members of the editorial teams of espazium, the publishers for the culture of the built environment.

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Selection of articles in english