The community center of Saint Jean d’Arvey was achieved in july 2012. This ambitious project is built in wood from the hillside of the overhanging mountains behind the village.
The use of local wood was therefore the main purpose to build this public equipment. The architect and his ingeneers’team found a simple solution to use wood in wall and slad in this construction.
Also, the wood was used seamlessly like a mesh wrapped the main facades front of the street. Through this material, the natural light is another component to explain the dialog between inner and outer « the great landscape around this site ». Some specifics views are created in this direction : the valley of Chambery and the powerfull summits haveparticiped to make architectural choice in the overall design. This sustainable environnemental attitude improves the wellbeing for all this new program spaces.
If this wooden conception was an anwser to use the local natural ressource, the inscription in the site was another one.
To slide this building in the slope without transforming the original ground profile,we have dispatched each fonctions (office / library / nurcery) at different altimetric levels.
Following this way, this new building installed in the historical center of Saint-Jean d’Arvey seems to be here since a long time ago. The wood cladding is ageing slowly as the old barns near the site. Whithout eaves, all facades will become gray with a constant color.
This community center is now an urban masterpiece inside the village.
