At the threshold of the village of Rüti GL stands a quiet industrial building. On its façade, one

can just barely make out the words Wollweberei Rüti — a former wool spinning factory that

now appears abandoned. Its walls still carry traces of the production, adaptations, and many

transformations it has witnessed over more than a century.

The project begins with a territorial ambition: to create a regenerative farm at the scale of the

village of Rüti. This vision requires a herd of 300 sheep, not only for landscape management

and soil regeneration but also for the production of wool, milk, and cheese. At the same

time, the village of Rüti has no access to higher education within 1.5 hours by train, which

severely limits opportunities for young people in the region. The idea of combining agricultural

production with higher education makes sense — especially in this idyllic setting, where

reusing the former wool factory as an agronomy school becomes both a symbolic and practical

gesture.

The core architectural idea is to anchor the new program within the existing structure as

respectfully as possible. Rather than erasing or drastically altering the old factory, the

interventions aim to integrate into it, preserving and celebrating its spatial qualities. The

generous industrial volumes are maintained, with minimal additions. Where new elements are

introduced, they are clearly readable and reversible. The result is a hybrid space: part learning

environment, part productive farm, and part historical artifact.

The energy concept is based on a phased and locally rooted approach. Over several years,

the 1850s building is gradually insulated with sheep wool, creating a clear connection between

the function of the farm and the materials used in construction.

Underfloor heating is installed in the living and teaching areas, powered by a heat pump

connected to the existing Kraftwerk — a former hydropower plant that remains in operation

within the building.

Rather than replacing the original windows, they are carefully repaired, and small foam

seals are added to reduce air infiltration, preserving their historic character while improving

performance.

Architecturally, a major addition is a central circulation core — a staircase that connects all

levels and improves accessibility throughout the building.

Moreover, the attic level is reimagined to accommodate guests and visitors. This space

becomes a bridge between the local community, the school, and the outside world, supporting

temporary stays, workshops, and events.

Finally, the largest architectural intervention addresses the key issue of the complex: the latest

storage hall, built in 1982, hides the historic glazed façade from 1916 and casts the main hall

into shadow. The intervention is therefore to deconstruct this extension, keep its wooden load-

bearing structure, and reuse it to erect a new building with a classic dual-pitched roof. This new

volume frees the historic façade and allows natural light to re-enter the main hall. The newly

constructed building is dedicated to sheep milking, forming a functional and symbolic link

between the herd and the historic fabric of the site.

In short, the project proposes a new rural campus model where farmers, students, researchers,

and locals come together. It is a place of production, education, and innovation. It revives the

site and responds to the demographic decline that has affected the villages of the Glarus valley

since the end of its industrial golden age.