This concrete oasis can be found in the Swiss border town of Kreuzlingen – with Germany and Lake Constance just a stone’s throw away. It is best visited on a hot summer’s day, when the architecture dissolves into dazzling abstractions on the surface of the central pool and harsh shadows add geometric edge and drama to the three large yet pared-down school buildings. They are arranged around the main piazza, which provides an open stage for student life. The earthy adobe tones are reminiscent of fortified cities in North Africa, while the street lamps and two fountains reference the era’s fashion for pop art and space- age design. To achieve this distinctive look, the architects developed a bespoke type of clay-pigmented concrete and used a bush-hammered finish.

Widely regarded as one of the most important brutalist schools in Switzerland, PMS Kreuzlingen inspired many similar designs in the 1970s. A recent revamp keeps the teaching college top of class.