Ecole Primaire La Fontaine
18 maart 2021
The thaw
Montmorency’s primary school is located at the edge of one of the largest wooded areas in the northern part of the Greater Paris region. Hidden away in the sloping, green landscape, it is easy to overlook the functionalist, constructivist 1960s buildings. One reason, perhaps, why they had fallen into disrepair prior to renovation. The Design Crew for Architecture completely refurbished one of the two-storey buildings and developed a special façade which fundamentally transforms the architecture by enveloping the actual structure. The building has been covered with an irregular pattern of different-sized triangles made of glass, ALUCOBOND® naturAL Brushed and ALUCOBOND® White 16 in the solid colour series. The triangular ALUCOBOND® panels, in different gloss levels, create a stunning, three-dimensional appearance and enhance the plain silhouette of the rectangular block, adding complexity, interest and elegance. The façade also has a special impact amidst the changing natural world: the glass inserts not only reflect with great clarity the clouds, the trees and the children playing in the school playground, they also offer glimpses into the building depending on light and interior room lighting. In contrast, the reflections of colours, shapes and movements in the smooth, naturAL triangles are vague; horizons and buildings can be faintly discerned but are not distinct. Meanwhile, the way the light falls dictates how the brushed aluminium panels softly shimmer, light, dark, warm and cold. They only reflect the ambience of their surroundings. These triangular fragments form a mosaic which presents a moving, abstract image of nature and its daily and seasonal changes. So as futuristic as the metallic, clear cut building façade seems, it is closely linked to nature and to its location. Aluminium and greenery are a perfect match here and just as apt as snow melting in late March.
Project: Ecole Primaire La Fontaine, Montmorency | France
Architect: DCA / Design Crew for Architecture, Paris | France
Lead Architects: Nicolas Chausson, Jiaoyang Huang
Fabricator: ACODI, Torvilliers | France
Installer: Groupe Lorillard, Chartres Cedex | France
Façade System: Tray panels screwed
Year of Construction: 2017 Product: ALUCOBOND® PLUS naturAL Brushed + solid White 16
Photos: Guillaume Guerin