An important element of the renewed town centre of Limeil-Brevannes, this school centre consists of three preschools and two elementary schools. It is a clearly defined urban space in the middle of a slightly incoherent environment.
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he buildings are situated in the Limeil-Brevannes suburb of Paris. To the north, the complex faces the town hall, and there will be a “mediatheque” next to it. A square lined with new residential buildings will be built on its southern side. To the west, the cluster of schools adjoins an area of detached houses. The complex, for approximately 1,000 students, is one of the largest educational facilities in France. Each school building has its own identity and space, as well as its own courtyard. The indoor and outdoor spaces fit together seamlessly. The school buildings are divided into conventional classrooms. All buildings share a refectory and a library, but otherwise they are independent. The structures are prefabricated and the building solution very rational, with a framework consisting of glulam pillars and
beams. Intermediate floors are made of wooden box units with a thin layer of concrete on top. The implementation of the design was based on a so-called “construction-conception” tendering process, where all proposals had to include all the relevant plans and a fixed price for their execution. In addition to the school buildings, the tendering process included an apartment building consisting of 46 flats. The tendering period was about one month. The mayor of Limeil-Brevannes is committed to environmental values, and it was his wish to have the school buildings made of wood. In addition to considerations to do with urban planning, the use of wood was a central criterion for selecting the winner. The winner was announced in April 2011, and the building was opened for use 18 months later. The construction of the apartment building will start in April 2013. n