The urban campus of the Voltaire schools raises a specific question: How can it offer enough accessibility, visibility, and presence in the city, while being at the center of a block surrounded by residences? From our point of view, the architectural question raised in this situation is one of finding balance between interior and exterior: How can we provide a school that has a strong presence, lively and engaged in the city, while at the same time providing a calm and protected interior? From this idea, a path opens up and crosses from east to west. A fluid, horizontal and light-filled building follows alongside it and fits in calmly at the center of the block. The school is set back from the street, and this “school road” penetrates the block and fans out into three routes. In this way, the school is very easily accessible by way of its public pathway. The school is inserted delicately, melting into the site to find its place, and defines the boundaries of the path on the north and the courtyard on the south. This organization is simple and unified. Considering the diversity of the surrounding architecture and other elements, we propose a continuous, homogeneous and calm form. From above, its footprint swings and bends to envelope the space and gives an impression of lightness, necessary for a building of this length. Simultaneously, we searched for the most advantageous position in terms of the sun, and for natural light to penetrate given the compactness of the building, under the Energy 0 Project. The building is therefore situated along the north of the parcel to receive a maximum of solar energy through its roof and façades. The school does not cast any shadows over its own hallways, because the orientation of its premises are preferential to the north and south. The entirety of the parcel surrounding the building is planted, a continuous ribbon that redefines the school campus, encasing it with vegetation.
Groupe scolaire
