School Center Lucie Aubrac
Nanterre, France - 2012

Equerre d'Argent 2012 (French Architecture Prize), special mention

The Lucie Aubrac Primary school and Kindergarten in Nanterre, a northwestern suburb of Paris, is a public institution with a strong identity. The site, close to the business district of La Défense, in an area of concentrated social housing, demanded a very specific solution for this new school building. Distinguished by its spatial organization, the building's free form differentiates it from the surrounding rigid social housing which is indicative of the "Province de France" area in Nanterre.

Organized around two courtyards which offer the children contrasting outdoor areas, the complex provides a square yard for the kindergarten, whilst the elementary school's area exists as a trapezium, with a gymnasium completing the campus to the south. The east wing comprises the Centre de Loisirs - recreation center, which is a residence for boarding students, but also includes areas open to residents of the neighbourhood who are welcome to use the library facilities.
The overhang of the library extends to the north facing main entrance thus providing a sheltered forecourt for parents and children along with an area fitted with bicycle racks.

The striking façades of the building are made from untreated pine slats, which are alternated with glass surfaces providing a rich texture to the building's form.

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