This is the new cafeteria of the pupils at secondary school Kirschgarten Gymnasium, in Basel city centre. Designed by local firm HHF Architects.

Ribbons of white wood connected by grey, shimmering aluminium cover the walls and ceiling, and a glass facade floods the space with light. By extending the wood ribbons out beyond the glass partition, the architect has created a terrace where children can sit and eat.

‘There were all these supporting beams and concrete columns, so we had to come up with something to go in between,’ says HHF’s Simon Frommenwiler. ‘Eventually, if ever it should be needed, the wood ribbons would allow us to tear the whole thing back out.’