Levi Strauss High School in Lille, France by Tank Architectes

Article source: Tank Architectes

The college Levi Strauss is settled in the heart of a urban growth district, between its ancient housing, wharehouses and the port district of Lille, North of France. The main building’s settled on the urban boulevard, the main hall, highly transparent, is opened on the front square, this gives an institutionnal feature to the high school playing a major role within the district. The main entrance is through a porch at the intersection of Boulevard de la Lorraine and Rue Lestiboudois.

Street View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

• Architects: Tank Architectes
• Project:Levi Strauss High School
• Location: Lille, France
• Client: Conseil Général du Nord
• Total cost: 14 214 000 € ht
• Area: 8 200 m2 SHON
• Architect Design: Olivier Camus & Lydéric Veauvy, Mathieu Berteloot, collaborating architect

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

• Structures, fluids, kitchen: Pingat Ingéniérie,
• Sustainable development: Etamine
• Road works: Best VRD
• Landscape: Paysages
• Outdoor design: Atelier Télescopique
• Studies : june 2007-oct 2008
• Building : nov 2008-nov 2010
• Delivery : november 2010

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

Very sunny and sheltered from the winds, the playground’s mainly mineral and generously planted. Opened on the playground, the entrance of the dining hall and club. Dedicated to the pupils facilities, those spaces have been thought like spaces in the bricks oriented towards the trees of the playground.

Window (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

On top of the covered playground situated on the southern side, the scientific classrooms offer a large view on the nearby urban environment. Connecting to these specialized classrooms, the library’s occupying a central position on the first floor with direct access to the school hall.

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

The asymmetrical alignment of the variously sized square windows bring light into the classsrooms and offer pupils large views of the city. On the southern part of the site outdoor sporting facilities and a gymnasium operate independantly.

Top View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

As in many regions of northern Europe, the brick is the only material used for the facades. The architects wanted rounded corners, so that the high school looks soft, there’s no sharp angle. The bricks are rendered in 3 stratums corresponding to the 3 shifted levels of the building which create open spaces and identify the entrance of the pupils.

Exterior View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

Staircase (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

Interior View (Image Courtesy Julien Lanoo)

Tags: France, Lille

Category: School

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