The town of Brugg and the Swiss canton of Aargau decided to meet an urgent need for sports facilities in the area by building this centre for education and training. In 2005, a competition was held to create two sports halls for local educational institutions, as well as a footbridge across the River Aar to link the halls with the outdoor sporting amenities opposite. The two halls are housed within a large folded-plate structure consisting of precast concrete elements. This allowed the construction of a minimal outer skin as well as compliance with the “Minergie” standard. Access to the halls is via a joint foyer that extends along the entire 80-metre length of the north face. Situated to the rear at a higher level is a railway line from where the roof of the complex is visible. The architects therefore decided to treat the roof as a fifth facade, so that it forms a unity with the load-bearing precast concrete structure. Entirely free of internal columns, the folded shell spans the 55-metre-wide complex, creating a powerful sculptural effect.