A school in Gradignan

In Gradignan (Gironde, France), the sloping roofs of a new school emerge between the trees. The project is by Ateliers Mathieu Laporte and Fagart & Fontana Architectes. At times opening onto the neighboring park, at times bordered by wide planted bands, the school continues the careful composition of this “city-park”, a long-standing tradition in this Bordeaux suburb. Within this low and elongated topography, the horizontal rooflines and the T-shaped plan formed by two large halls give the school remarkable clarity and legibility. The first one, on street level along Avenue Charles et Émile Lestage, houses the preschool, extending into a refectory shared by all ages and ending in a multipurpose hall that opens onto the municipal park. The other one hosts the most prominent figures, with a multipurpose room at the end that opens onto the park. At the intersection of the two halls lie the administrative offices and main circulation areas. This is also where the main entrance sits — a 100-meter-long glass façade welcoming pupils and visitors alike. The zinc roofs, with their generous overhangs, assert the building’s protective role, while the entire structure hides its scale behind a delicate veil of wood, metal, and glass. Inside, wide corridors and double-height classrooms, open to the playgrounds and the wooden structure above, give children an immediate awareness of light, material, and landscape — an early education in their connection to the environment.

Kit press upon request

Press kit upon request