LCR architectes forms public middle school in france out of copper

LCR architectes forms public middle school in france out of copper
all images courtesy of LCR architects

with the aim of meeting high environmental quality and educational standards, LCR architectes has completed their design for a public middle school in labarthe-sur-lez, france. ‘we tried to imagining the scale of the future equipment and to position it as a public building within a problematic empty space,’ said the firm.

the copper panels will change the appearance of the structure over time

as a result, the facility arises from the convergence of two axes. the first, is access from the traffic circle, the transverse axis which strongly directs all functional organization, due to its position and its connection to the site. it determines the chronological implementation of each component of the program and accepts the input sequence as a seamless geometry. it is the keystone which anchors the equipment in the site.

main façade

the second, perpendicular to the main road, organizes the life of the building. this internal street forms the backbone of the project as it stretches on two levels and plays a role of separation while concurrently ensuring a connection. therefore, all the entities come to settle comfortably in alternation on this line as they are north-south oriented. they give access to the various functions: logistics, catering, social life, general, specialized and artistic education. via this implementation, the entire school is fully integrated into the site to the point of recreating it. on the civilian side, it plays the role of a civic complex, while on the inside it expresses friendly identity.

beneath the overhang near the drop-off area

for the façades, coherent, expressive materials were selected. glass transcribes the educational exchange and openness of the activities alongside an expansive use of aluminum bars and copper panels. the inner orange hue of the common spaces contrasts the exterior brown tone to create a fluid transition with the land. delving into the materials characteristics and connotations, it is natural and alive, giving the building a skin which the patina will smooth with the age while also reinforcing the value of sustainability. this change of appearance will mark the passage of time in an area submitted to a rapid change.

south façade along general education spaces

exterior ramps provide easy exits

covered court 

bike rack

staff quarters 

external view

internal view

corridor

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