Ecole du Vieux Bourg
A school threatened with closure
In the historic center of Cagnes-sur-Mer, a town on the French Riviera near Nice, opposite the Grimaldi Castle (listed as a historic monument), the historic school in the village center is threatened with ad- ministrative closure. The old building is no longer suitable, and the classrooms are too small to accommodate enough students to secure its future.
A mobilization of residents, teachers, students, and all those who cherish this unique school has led the town council to propose its expansion into the neighboring building, a 17th-century bourgeois villa. The town council is organizing consultation mee- tings with a monitoring committee, parents, and teachers to support the design and realization of the project.
This raises a fundamental question: how can we shape a school facility that meets contemporary standards, is comfortable and energy-efficient, without altering the spirit of the place—that of a small village school?
A model school
The rehabilitation and extension project of the Vieux Bourg School will mark a turning point in the way interventions are carried out in the historic center. Both in form and substance, it is rare to see a project where all stakeholders move in the same direction, guided by a desire for excellence.
During the design phase, we had the opportunity to engage with past, present, and future users of the school. From these discussions emerged not only a desire to fix the technical and functional issues of their school but, above all, to preserve what makes it so special: a village school nestled at the heart of its town center, where different generations mingle and share unforgettable moments in an equally unforgettable place.
Our mission, therefore, was to lead a profound transformation of the school and the Blacas house to meet all the constructive demands of contemporary school facilities, while crea- ting a unique space. The tree-lined courtyard, transitioning into a garden from its cobbled path, unites the entire site. This green space, where children aged 3 to 10 will gather, aims to offer an oasis of freshness in an environment where mineral elements predominate.
Stone, omnipresent in the heart of our villages, and a construction material favored by our ancestors, can be found in the preserved walls of the refectory, in the paving stones of the ground, and in the pebbles of the cobbled paths. We have paired it with a complementa- ry material we found on-site: terracotta bricks, which the masons salvaged, recut, cleaned, brushed, and reused in facing walls that define the project’s identity.
The workers also salvaged slate stair steps, transformed into windowsills, cement tiles repurposed for backsplashes, interior doors reused as closet doors, and millstones turned into garden tables. The old school and the Blacas house remind us of their presence wherever we look.
We prioritized construction techniques that highlight the craftsmanship of the men and women in the building trades. We used traditional lime plaster on the facades, terracotta tiles on the floors, lime-hemp plaster on the walls, and ash woodwork to outfit the library, classrooms, and refectory.
We hope that the work of everyone involved in this extraordinary project can, like the gene- rations before, create unforgettable memories for the children of this one-of-a-kind school: a book read in the comfort of the vaulted library, a meal shared under the imposing roof structure of the canteen, a poem recited in the classroom with a view of the Bay of Cagnes, a game of hide-and-seek in the garden.
Transformation of an old mill into a refectory
In order to enlarge the school courtyard and link the parcels of the existing school and the bourgeois house, we had to demolish a number of out- buildings that were in a state of advanced ruin. The refectory is located on the site of an old mill. We decided to preserve the courtyard-facing fa- çade of this historical landmark and construct the new walls of the future building by «completing» the new perimeter.
The preservation of the old mill’s stone river walls and bringing them up to seismic standards was a challenge for the masonry team, as the centu- ries-old structure was very fragile.
The new walls are clad in small bricks, half of which are made from terracotta tiles found on-site, complemented by new bricks. The bricks fill the gaps and imperfections left in the stone wall, creating a dialogue between the two main materials of the project.
Contextualizing materiality
We aligned the floors and optimized vertical circulation to ensure accessibility. The central courtyard serves the communal spaces (refectory, library, multipurpose room) and extends into a garden, thus preserving the unity of the school complex.
We created warm and welcoming spaces by maximizing the qualities of the site. For instance, a vaulted cellar has been transformed into the school’s library, and the classrooms are generously open with large windows framing views of the Mediterranean.
In terms of thermal performance, we focused extensively on summer comfort, which is crucial on the Côte d’Azur due to its mild winters. This is why we opted for lime-hemp plaster rather than insulation for the exterior walls.
We aimed to outfit the spaces with local, bio-based materials. The floors are made of terracotta, and the ceiling is clad in wood fiber. The old masonry and facades are renovated with traditional lime plaster.
