Groupe Scolaire Jean Macé
The Jean Macé School Group Extension project takes a stand in favor of know-how, sobriety, and common sense. It achieved its unprecedented ambitions with 800 m² of load-bearing rammed earth walls composed exclusively of unmodified and unstabilized raw earth, extracted 50 km from the site, and implemented using the traditional method in situ. This age-old know-how takes its rightful place in a contemporary architectural project, within the framework of a major public commission.
The location of the extension was crucial for the successful integration of the project into its site. The urban planning regulations, the shape of the plot, and the symmetrical typology of the existing school were the three key parameters in our search for volume. These elements led us to develop the project in three main volumes. The first two, arranged at right angles, extend the existing East and West wings to extend the school's program as naturally as possible while respecting both the alignment of the facades of the existing building and the continuity of its ground floor level, located +80 cm from the exterior. These two buildings house 10 additional classrooms as well as a 70-seat refectory with dedicated technical access for staff and deliveries. Wooden furniture equipped with troughs and coat hooks is provided for students in the corridors adjoining the classrooms. The latter are lit and ventilated naturally and some are equipped with movable partitions allowing them to be split into two.
This square plan of the extension allows the enlarged playground to be structured by providing it with a large covered courtyard in the center of the various games set up. We also took advantage of the development of the program in R+1 to create outdoor spaces on the upper floor: terraces, walkways, and vegetable gardens. Finally, the third volume located at the back of the plot is dedicated to the Gymnasium and its adjoining premises. This location allows it to have direct access both from the school and from Rue de la Liberté, thus making it possible for the various associations to use it outside of school hours. Setting the gymnasium back from the street allowed the creation of a forecourt ensuring the management and security of flows as well as the staging of the building. In addition to the architectural and functional integration of the project, the two square volumes housing the extension are made up of a hybrid structure composed of concrete and rammed earth. All of the peripheral walls are made of unstabilized load-bearing rammed earth and are bracing in a seismic zone context. A phase of characterization and experimentation of the earth made it possible to justify its structural capacity within the predefined regulatory framework.
On the interior side, lining in wood fiber and plywood improves the thermal comfort of the building. The shear walls are made of raw concrete with an architectonic finish. Exterior wooden joinery provides natural lighting and various locksmith works allow the installation of exterior stairs, guardrails, and awnings. As for the upstairs terraces, they are protected by wooden slats for a welcoming and warm floor. Finally, the roofs are green and graveled and allow rainwater to be collected. The gymnasium is equipped with a wooden frame that supports the roof and allows the structure to be braced. It also supports a photovoltaic field to power the entire school group. For the existing part, an external thermal envelope in wood fiber covers all the facades. Particular care was taken to reproduce all the moldings of the original facade. Inside the existing building, the new through hall, created in place of the demolished central staircase, is equipped with two large aluminum bay windows, bringing luminous and practical comfort to this new reception area which has made it possible to requalify the entrance to the historic building.
The completion of this complex and innovative project is evidence of several years of collective work that we orchestrated in collaboration with all the stakeholders. The rammed earth facades that are now part of the urban context of the city illustrate this age-old know-how and diversify the built landscape. Defending a load-bearing rammed earth, with as few modifications as possible, is a fundamental direction of the project which is inspired by a social and economic philosophy. Finally, living in a local raw earth school is one of the best ways to participate in the education of our children on production and construction methods in harmony with our environment and constitutes a concrete example to the young occupants of the school of what the change towards a more sober and sustainable living environment could be.
