Centre scolaire Moréchon
CONTEXT AND SITING. The Moréchon site, in Savièse, presents a succession of buildings whose interstices trace a series of evenly rhythmed squares. Their roofs — an articulation of pitches with ridges always oriented north–south — soften the impact of the existing volumes. The project extends this sequence: it creates a new square framed by the school / gymnasium volume and by the UAPE day-care, set within the enlarged library building. The roof of the new volume, made up of several pitches sharing the same ridge direction, offers the eye a continuity with the site.
A COMPACT VOLUME, THE SCHOOL ABOVE THE GYM. To avoid sprawl and favour a certain density, the new volume superimposes the school onto the gymnasium. The slope of the terrain ideally lights the semi-buried gym while preserving level access for the school. By setting back between the existing and the new construction, the UAPE creates a small welcoming forecourt.
ORGANISATION OF THE SPACES. The building unfolds like a small machine: two very different programmes are superimposed along a rigorous structural grid, tailored to measure. On the upper floors, the classrooms are arranged around a central circulation space, bathed in zenithal light descending through the gap between the roof pitches and turning around a core of serving rooms. The circulations extend to the façade, offering views and natural light. The gymnasium, reached from the north, is lit by windows to the south thanks to the slope. The enlarged library building houses the UAPE; its six well-proportioned rooms are arranged along the north and south façades.
MOBILITY AND LANDSCAPE. An overall requalification unifies this large site. Bituminous surfaces give way to green, planted expanses, dotted with playful little squares and linked by winding paths; motorised vehicles fade away, except for the fire service and deliveries. The site remains porous to pedestrians, accessible through multiple points of entry. The children, dropped off on the periphery, cross a planted filtering space before reaching their playground, the flow dividing according to grade levels.
ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY. From design to material, the project aims for a contribution to sustainable development. Its compactness reduces the footprint on the ground; a high-performance thermal envelope and local materials minimise energy needs. The roof pitches, oriented east–west, are covered with solar panels favouring production during off-peak periods, while the centre of the roof is planted and rainwater, stored in a cistern, is used for irrigation. Sufficiently solid façades and projection blinds protect against summer overheating without giving up the view or the light.
MATERIALITY. The materialisation is anchored in the territory of Savièse. The vineyards and their stone walls call for a project that extends their character: the precast concrete of the façades recalls the minerality of the landscape's constructions — vineyard walls, the buildings of Moréchon. Inside, a forest of timber columns punctuates the spaces and completes the structure; timber walls and ceilings spread a warm atmosphere for the children, while the terrazzo floor evokes the rock of the neighbouring mountains. The UAPE shares the same atmospheres as the school.
In collaboration with François Meyer.