The Dominique Frélo School Complex: Redefining the Relationship Between Architecture and the Environment

Vertical Design in Educational Complexes

The recently developed educational complex in the city of Colomb serves as an example of verticality in school design. The staggered arrangement of the upper floors, alongside the variety of internal pathways, contributes to enhancing both visual and physical connectivity between the building and its natural surroundings.

Integration with the Surrounding Environment

Through this approach, the spatial depth of the building becomes part of the natural landscape, allowing students and visitors to feel integrated with the surrounding environment. The diverse pathways further enrich the educational experience by promoting movement and exploration within the complex.

Urban Challenges and Limited Site Size

The educational complex is located in a high-density, heterogeneous urban area, on a relatively small plot that was previously part of an industrial site. This context posed design challenges related to the optimal use of space, while ensuring the provision of green areas for outdoor activities.

Vertical School as a Design Solution

The building’s large volume and the requirement to create a green playground allowed for a vertical design approach based on distinctive pathways, where the architecture seamlessly blends with the surrounding natural landscape. The building presents a clear and recognizable mass, combining a monumental character with a sense of intimacy, while wrapping around the playground to act as a protective envelope for the inner space.

Facades and Their Interaction with the Environment

The city-facing facades reflect the heritage character of the area through the use of red brick inspired by the building materials traditions of Île-de-France, while also incorporating contemporary design influences. The brick elements are arranged vertically to form a clear cladding, while the alternation between flat and convex pieces creates a rich visual texture, adding depth to the facade and altering its perception depending on the viewing angle and natural lighting conditions.

Interior Side and Environmental Function

On the courtyard-facing side and upper floors, the brick materials are replaced with wood, supported by a slender metal structure holding the wooden slats. This interior design provides shade and contributes to the growth of climbing plants within the courtyard, seamlessly integrating architectural aesthetics with environmental functions.

Hanging Gardens and Educational Balconies

The interior design of each floor was adapted to accommodate hanging garden balconies, offering views of the city and creating a learning environment beyond the traditional classroom. These balconies enhance the interaction between students and the urban surroundings, while adding visual depth and providing spaces for outdoor relaxation and learning.

Educational Courtyards and Natural Playground

On the southern side, the playground roof functions as a wide platform in the form of an educational garden, connecting the two wings of the building. The design also preserves a large area of exposed soil in the courtyard, partially covered with reused materials, inspired by local landscapes such as the sedimentary plains of Sienne and riverside forests. This balance between architectural structures and nature provides a sensory educational experience for students and promotes environmental sustainability within the complex.

Water Management and Central Spaces

The central area in the design serves as the visual and functional focal point of the complex, collecting rainwater from the site and naturally filtering it. This process reflects the integration of environmental sustainability into the architecture of educational spaces.

Educational Terraces and Miniature Natural Landscape

The terraces form a miniature nursery showcasing the diversity of natural environments in the Paris region, highlighting variations in soil depth and the chemical and physical characteristics of the underlying layers. This natural gradient mirrors the area’s vertical pattern: the river at the bottom, followed by forests and dry meadows above, providing students with a sensory learning experience that connects architecture with the surrounding natural environment.

Organization of Internal Pathways

The design is based on a staggered arrangement of floors, creating a network of internal pathways that facilitate movement and add an experimental dimension for students. This network includes two large cylindrical concrete volumes housing open, spiral staircases that make use of natural light to enhance the circulation experience.

External Pathways and Panoramic Experience

The external stairs descend toward the courtyard, connecting all terrace levels to form an outdoor pathway. This route provides diverse panoramic views of the city and strengthens the connection between the building and the urban surroundings, while creating a sensory learning experience that combines movement, observation, and interaction with the environment.

Natural Light and Spatial Distribution

Natural light floods the corridors through large windows arranged in a diagonal pattern that aligns with the staggered volumes of the facade. These windows help create a deep internal perspective, provide classrooms with indirect sunlight, and enhance natural ventilation, thereby improving students’ visual and environmental comfort.

Interaction Between Classrooms and the External Environment

Although the classroom proportions are similar, each room differs in its configuration and relationship with the surrounding environment. Classroom entrances face expansive glass frames overlooking the city. On the fourth and top floor, the dining hall benefits from a panoramic view of the Paris skyline, adding a distinctive visual dimension to the educational experience within the building.

Interior Materials and Their Impact on the Learning Environment

The walls separating corridors and classrooms are clad in compressed earth brick, with both sides exposed to give the interior spaces a distinctive character. This material also contributes to improving thermal inertia and regulating relative humidity within the building, enhancing the environmental comfort for students and teachers.

Built-in Furniture and Exposed Structure as Educational Tools

The built-in furniture made from poplar wood softens the harshness of some equipment and service features, creating a warmer and more inviting environment. At the same time, the exposed structure and utility networks remain part of the design for educational purposes, allowing users to understand how the building is constructed and operates. This design simplicity also reduces maintenance and management costs, combining practical aesthetics with educational value.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Dominique Frélo School Complex represents an architectural experiment that offers several positive elements, such as the use of vertical gradation and diverse pathways that enhance visual and physical connectivity, as well as the integration of sunlight and natural ventilation within interior spaces, providing a practical framework for learning in an open environment.

However, it can be observed that the emphasis on vertical design may impose limitations on future adaptability or expansion, and managing open spaces and suspended areas requires careful and sustainable maintenance to ensure their long-term durability. Additionally, integrating natural materials such as brick and wood offers environmental benefits, but may face challenges in withstanding climatic conditions or intensive use, necessitating careful consideration of materials and maintenance techniques before adopting such models on a wider scale.

Despite these reservations, valuable insights can be drawn from the project regarding the interaction between the building and its environment, and the integration of sensory learning into the design, making it a useful reference for planning future schools or similar educational projects.