Architects:Ateliers Architecture,STGM Architectes

Area:1541m²

Year:2023

Photographs:Maxime Brouillet

Manufacturers:EQUITONE,Kalwall®,Abet Laminati,Akupanel,Armstrong,Beldden Brick,CGC,Polyflor,Vicwest,ezoBord

Design Team:STGM Architectes

Collaborator Architect:Ateliers Architecture

Country:Canada

Text description provided by the architects. Designed to provide a living and learning environment tailored to children while maintaining a direct connection to the outdoors, the expansion of the school includes the addition of five preschool classrooms, a learning hub, and a new entrance hall leading to the schoolyard. The original building, constructed in 1959, exhibits typical features of a primary school from that era: a two-story building with a sloped roof and red brick cladding.

From the new hall, a passage to the existing building offers a seamless flow through the school, granting access to the learning hub, which is at the heart of the project. Renovations in the existing building have reorganized various areas to clarify the school's layout, such as the administration sector, where the staff room has been relocated closer to the main office and existing entrance.

The two classrooms that were somewhat isolated on the ground floor of the original building have been repurposed for arts and music activities. Three new cloakrooms have been added on the ground floor, serving as a filter for different entrances to the schoolyard, thus freeing up the corridors on the upper floors. Additionally, a reorganization of spaces near the gymnasium now allows direct access to the community from outside. Finally, an outdoor classroom has been set up on the roof of the extension to enhance the outdoor spaces.

The extension, with its wooden structure, integrates harmoniously with the existing building, both in terms of scale and material selection. The new pavilion is primarily clad in clay brick, a highly durable and timeless material. A color palette that contrasts with the existing school ensures a smooth integration while highlighting the contemporary addition to the overall structure. Recesses in the volume mark and protect the entrances, both at the front façade and the schoolyard. A change of material in these recessed areas helps to break up the volume and create depth in the design of the new building. Red-tinted composite cement panels are used in these areas, providing impact resistance and durability while bringing warmth and friendliness to the school.

Generous glazing, both in the hall and classrooms, punctuates the façades and adds lightness to the architectural composition. Finally, the curved shapes present in the design are reflected throughout the project, both in the exterior and interior design. Echoing the rounded forms that characterize the region's landscape, the curve stands out as a distinctive feature of the extension, adding movement and dynamism to the architecture. The project was designed in collaboration with Ateliers Architecture, a local firm.

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