Igor Mitoraj school
Cornillon-Confoux is a village in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, perched on a rocky spur above the Berre pond, offering magnificent views of the surrounding landscape.
The decision to extend its school complex stemmed from the town council's wish to keep it in the heart of the village, thereby preserving its central role in community life. A distinctive feature of this project is the connection between the new nursery extension and the renovated elementary school, which is made by crossing a pedestrian alleyway - the “Chemin des Ecoliers” - linking the main street to the upper part of the village.
The new school is set along this path, which has been carefully redesigned to follow the alley’s slope, transforming it into as a continuous, accessible space.
The project’s challenges - the limited size of the plot, the steep gradient, and irregular boundaries - were turned into opportunities. Rather than imposing itself, the school interlocks harmoniously with its environment: a recessed car park, classrooms and a sheltered kindergarten playground at its core, an educational terrace with a belvedere, and a direct link to the existing school.
The facades of the extension form a protective ensemble in solid Vers-Pont-du-Gard stone, echoing the ochre-yellow tones of the village. Stereotomic treatment on the openings and their jambs emphasizes the thickness and continuity of the stone.
The upper volume, in light-colored concrete, asserts the contemporary presence of the extension while aligning in scale with the white buildings of the existing elementary school. Inside, the extension benefits from carefully differentiated natural light: controlled and filtered on the street-facing façade to maintain cool interior, indirect light from the glazed corridor along the courtyard to balance brightness in the classrooms, and overhead lighting from skylights that illuminate the three kindergarten rooms and the entrance atrium.
The school is no longer merely a functional facility. It has become part of the built landscape, a place of transition and a support for shared uses across the village. The educational terrace at the top, opening onto the surrounding hills, serves both as an extension of the kindergarten playground and as a communal viewpoint. The car park beneath addresses mobility needs while minimizing the building’s footprint. Shared spaces connect generations and uses, supporting school, extracurricular, and public activities alike.
