Middle school of Beauzelle
The secondary school is a place of teaching and work, but also a living space, both protective and opening out onto the region, organised around the playground. Setting a positive example in environmental terms, the project draws inspiration from this clear architecture which is part of a changing urban composition.
The site is at the limit between two different urban structures (terraced and suburban housing). The school is found within this frame, a structuring role which must offer the required urban transition between space and time. Based on strong architectural and construction choices, the project aims to leave a mark on history. It reflects the height of the neighbouring buildings (two stories) and through its composition it underlines it position as a public facility. On the ground floor, it is shaped like a ribbon which unfurls around the playground. The building grows, distorts and bends to create indoor/outdoor extensions and organise the different spaces corresponding to each use. On the first floor, it is composed like a “tripod”. Through this technique, all the facilities benefit from an unobstructed view over the area. Through a careful distribution of the different spaces, the project aims to differentiate and rank the spaces dedicated to children (entrance, corridors, classrooms and living areas, outdoor spaces, etc.). The building's composition is rational: the ribbon unfurls according to a perfectly arranged geometry. The twists and offsets are chosen to better respond to the uses, sunshine and the clarity of the spaces and rooms, both inside and outside. The desire to offer a sustainable building within the project’s limited budget led to the choice of two materials; stained concrete on the ground floor for its strength, and bronze/copper coloured lacquered aluminium on the first floor for the variety of finishes depending on the facades' exposure and expected performances. The external arrangements are designed to ensure spatial continuity whilst integrating a variety of techniques depending on the link to the space (private or public).
