laurens & loustau architectes playfully craft lucie aubrac school

laurens & loustau architectes playfully craft lucie aubrac school
image © stéphane chalmeau
all images courtesy of laurens & loustau architectes

defined by its playful abstraction of circular and rectangular cut-outs, the school building ‘groupe scolaire lucie aubrac’ by french firm laurens & loustau architectes is located in toulouse, france. the volume is framed by a discontinuous skin of wooden slats with removed openings along its façade – helping to control solar gain, while also allowing the necessary levels of daylight into the interior spaces. two wings of classrooms enclose a central courtyard space with an open sports area on its upper level. the 2425sqm educational complex consists of a nursery that is located on the ground floor level, and a primary school in the thin structure above. a joining, middle roof is punctured with round holes, providing enough room for trees to grow through and visually connect the different grades. evoking sense of warmth and fun, the use of natural materials and spirited reference to a box of colored pencils in the exterior skin make the school building one for both sustained classroom learning and outdoor play time.

the exterior skin makes a spirited reference to a box of colored pencils through the use of wooden slats
image © stéphane chalmeau

the volume is framed by a discontinuous skin of wooden slats with removed openings along its façade
image © stéphane chalmeau

the openings control solar gain, while also allowing the necessary levels of daylight into the interior spaces
image © stéphane chalmeau

two wings of classrooms enclose a central courtyard space with an open sports area on its upper level
image © GBMP

the courtyard’s roof is punctured with round holes, providing enough room for trees to grow through
image © stéphane chalmeau

the ground floor classrooms directly connect to the outdoor play area
image © stéphane chalmeau

interior classroom
image © stéphane chalmeau

an open sports area is located on the classroom’s upper level
image © stéphane chalmeau

section

floor plans

project info:

architects: laurens & loustau architectes
location: toulouse, france
project architects: marc laurens, pierre loustau
design team: joanne pouzenc, laurent didier
area: 2425 sqm
year: 2012
photographs: stéphane chalmeau
project management: OTCE organisation
construction: GPMP
building contractor: ville de toulouse