Anne de Bretagne secondary school in Saint-Herblain, France by Philippe Gazeau

Article source: Philippe Gazeau

West of Nantes, the new Collège Anne de Bretagne secondary school at St-Herblain stands out in the location as a feature linking a town park, various neighboring public utilities and the Loire valley landscape. The project fits into the site through an irregular base dressed in timber powerfully set into the slightly sloping land. This rough ground floor bears a much simpler looping figure that tapers on the upper floor housing the classrooms. The base blends in with the immediate vicinity while the upstairs area looks out over the landscape further afield.

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

• Architects: Philippe Gazeau
• Project: Anne de Bretagne secondary school
• Location: Saint-Herblain, France
• Photography: Philippe Ruault
• Client: Loire Atlantique county council
• Competition: 2009
• Delivery: 2014
• Program: Rebuilding of the Collège Anne de Bretagne secondary school, 700 school, restaurant, staff housing, cycle shed.
• Energy Efficiency: BBC low energy consumption (RT2005), HQE standard without certification.
• Materials: concrete structure, timber cladding, stainless steel-type aluminium cladding, vertical coloured glass sunshades
• Area: 4,712 m² usable area / 6,443 m² gross area
• Cost: €11,344,346 ex-VAT (with the 3 extra staff houses added at the final preliminary design stage)

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

The tentacular ground floor serves as the entrance leading to all the site’s outside areas both public and private connected to the school’s common and administrative areas.
On the upper floor housing all the classrooms, the circular layout around patios makes finding one’s way extremely straightforward and obvious.

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

On the outside, a sunscreen device made up of coloured glass panels perpendicular to the frontage clad in reflective stainless steel offers passive shading on the front of the classrooms, recreating a rainbow effect, thereby giving the school its hallmark brightly shining image.
The entire unit forms a kinetic ribbon brought to life by the play of colours, reflections and transparency, extending into the interior areas, drawn from an aesthetic of functional, effective good looks.

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Ruault

Image Courtesy © Philippe Gazeau

Image Courtesy © Philippe Gazeau

Image Courtesy © Philippe Gazeau

Image Courtesy © Philippe Gazeau

Image Courtesy © Philippe Gazeau

Tags: France, Saint-Herblain

Categories: College, School

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