The redevelopment of the Uderzo School courtyard is part of the “Oasis” schoolyard initiative led by the City of Mantes-la-Jolie. This program aims to transform schoolyards into cooler, more playful, and greener spaces to combat urban heat islands and improve children’s well-being. As the first school in the municipality to benefit from this approach, the project was carried out over several months of construction and delivered in 2024.
By replacing impermeable surfaces with permeable paving and planted areas in open soil, the project restores nature to a central role within the school. The new courtyard forms a living landscape where shade trees, flowering beds, and an educational vegetable garden alternate with play areas and gathering spaces, supporting learning, social interaction, and daily well-being.
Circulation routes and play areas—including wooden play structures integrated directly into the courtyard—fit into a soft, legible landscape framework that promotes biodiversity and natural stormwater management through infiltration as close as possible to the plantings. The courtyard thus becomes a true space for exploration and well-being: a place for play, discovery, and breathing room, embodying a more resilient and welcoming school environment.
