Don Bosco
Located on the outskirts of the town of Cernay, the Saint-André Institute welcomes nearly 600 people with disabilities. Among its many facilities, the Don Bosco building, constructed in 1897, accommodates around thirty children with intellectual disabilities, organized into living groups across three floors.
The renovation project aims to restore this historic building and improve the children’s quality of life by creating an outdoor space on each level. Attached to the south gable of the building, a wooden structure, aligned with the dimensions of Don Bosco, provides each floor with a sunny terrace. These outdoor areas, which extend from each living group’s pathway, encourage openness to the outside world. Inside, the layout has been designed to be simple, reassuring, and functional. The bedrooms, located on the west and north façades, benefit from a peaceful and well-lit orientation. Circulation areas have been conceived as a smooth, natural flow, always lit by daylight, with open views of the surrounding landscape or the institute itself.
Children are guided throughout this journey by an oak handrail that accompanies them through softly rounded spaces, punctuated with unique geometric shapes that serve as visual landmarks. The interior atmospheres have been designed to avoid stark contrasts, which can cause disorientation.
