Nestled in the heart of the ancient citadel of Bonifacio, the Montlaur nursery is an integral part of the city's military, geological, and sedimentary heritage.
Surrounded by walls, pathways, and fortifications, the limestone plateau now welcomes a new chapter in its rich history.
Throughout history, cities have demonstrated resilience in rebuilding themselves, and the former Montlaur military district is no exception as it embarks on a new phase of transformation.
Three limestone windmills stand proudly in the landscape, accentuating the physical strength of the site with their Genoese towers.
The cloister symbolizes a sense of sanctuary, enclosing an interior garden bordered by galleries within its quadrilateral structure.
The use of lime concrete, an experimental material, pays homage to the citadel's identity and its historic ramparts. Similar to Roman concrete, devoid of cement or reinforcement, it perpetuates the geological stratification of the region.
The meticulous and artisanal ramming technique employed in construction echoes the ruggedness and horizontal layers of the limestone cliff.
Extensive testing, prototyping, and adjustments were made to the concrete compositions to ensure optimal performance and aesthetic appeal. The final result seamlessly integrates the limestone in-situ aggregates and the lime binder, which forms the essence of the city and was traditionally produced in the lime kilns of the Bonifacian countryside.
The Montlaur daycare establishes a profound physical and chromatic connection with its surroundings, reflecting the city's identity through the rough textures and vibrant hues of the materials used.
The site serves as an outdoor laboratory, providing a space for experimentation with various tools, techniques, and coordination among masons, engineers, and lime specialists.
The project combines proven ancestral applications with a scientific approach at the core of its manufacturing strategy.
Features such as rammed lime concrete in wood formwork, Genoa slate roofing, and Laricio Pine woodwork (endemic Corsican pine) not only showcase the city's history but also emphasize a short supply chain. While these assets introduce complexity due to artisanal techniques and raw materials that may not align with modern economic logic, the absence of transportation, imports, or extraction of materials from scratch results in cost savings that benefit traditional craftsmanship.
Reviving elementary and ancestral techniques, such as space configuration, materiality, facade thickness, and building inertia, enables the implementation of energy-efficient air cooling options.
The design also incorporates cross-ventilated spaces with views of the city and interior courtyard, in addition to Mediterranean wells, a floor heating system powered by a wood pellet boiler, brick walls with lime plaster, bio-sourced insulations, and shutters.
The microclimate of the interior garden further enhances the building's passive design, offering thermal comfort through the presence of lawn and mulberry trees that provide shade in summer and allow light penetration in winter.
These passive applications are no longer reliant on mechanical systems, but instead, they are reintegrated into the fundamental aspects of architecture, particularly in ensuring the thermal comfort of the human body.
Through its bold hardscape design, the Montlaur crèche is poised to establish a lasting presence within the ancient citadel.
Even in the unlikely event of all its accessories being ripped off, the project will continue to stand proudly with its concrete core.
Indeed, the hybrid composition of concrete, situated amidst military fortifications and layers of limestone cliff, enables the Montlaur daycare to transcend time without losing its relevance.
