Located in the hamlet of La Gueroulde, in a deeply rural setting within an agricultural area and in close proximity to the Iton River and the ponds of the Parc de la Poultière, the new school complex benefits from a rich and varied ecosystem, highlighted in the landscape design. The architecture integrates seamlessly with the vegetation to create a welcoming environment conducive to the personal development of both students and staff.
The facility is designed to be clearly identifiable while respecting its neighbors and the scale of surrounding buildings. The landscape design complements the architecture, emphasizing it while engaging with the communal heritage.
Inspired by existing village buildings—with large pitched roofs and the elongated forms of traditional longères—the school is composed of three sections: the elementary wing, the central common facilities wing, and the kindergarten wing. Each section faces Rue de l’Église on one side and defines the playgrounds on the other, with covered play areas extending from them.
Security measures, in line with the Vigipirate Plan, guided the treatment of public space boundaries to prevent visibility into the buildings. Along the street, the entrance patio is enclosed by 2-meter-high wooden slatted screens, which also block views from the staff parking area. Two gables of the school run along the street: the first is solid, while the second features a brick moucharabieh-style screen that allows light to pass without permitting visual access. Flanking the new school, the old school and the community hall complete the enclosure. To the west, a windbreak hedge accompanies a 2-meter fence.
From Rue de l’Église, the new school is marked by three large brick gables topped with wide slate roofs. Brick is used on all five gables of the project, both street-facing and courtyard-facing. Two brick tones, in stone and beige hues, are laid in a random pattern. The remaining façades are rendered in a bright stone tone.
The existing weeping willow is preserved. The rural context of the school allows for extensive planting:
STANDARD TREES: Fagus sylvatica ‘Fastigiata’, Acer campestre, Alnus glutinosa
MULTI-STEM TREES: Betula utilis (minimum 3 stems), Betula alba (minimum 3 stems), Acer campestre (minimum 3 stems), Alnus × spaethii
UNDERSTORY SHRUBS: Acer campestre, Cornus sanguinea, Corylus avellana, Carpinus betulus, Corylus colurna
HEDGES: Carpinus betulus
A windbreak hedge on the western side of the project is composed of a mix of species that integrate seamlessly into the landscape: Viburnum lantana, European spindle (Euonymus europaeus), hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), wayfaring tree (Viburnum lantana), plum (Prunus), wild pear (Pyrus), common privet (Ligustrum vulgare), wild cherry (Prunus avium), maple (Acer), ash (Fraxinus), dogwood (Cornus sanguinea), field maple (Acer campestre), hazel (Corylus avellana), and service tree (Sorbus domestica).
