Nursery School in Marmoutier

Architects: Dominique Coulon, Strasbourg

Assistants: Olivier Nicollas (project architect), Sarah Brebbia, Arnaud Eloudyi, Steve Letho Duclos

Structural engineers: HN Ingénierie, Hoenheim

The big visual attraction of Marmoutier in Alsace is a monastery dating from the 5th century. The wall surrounding the former gardens, in which the new nursery school has been built, is a protected historic monument. Conditions were therefore imposed, requiring that the new building should respect the architecture of the monastery, and that the eaves height should not rise above the crest of the wall. The architects responded to these constraints with a roof articulated into a number of folded planes. In this way, it was possible to keep the eaves line below the crest of the wall, while achieving a greater room height elsewhere.

Great respect was shown for the environment in the treatment of the external areas; for example, in the planting of fruit trees and the use of natural materials like wicker fences, and sand as a surface finish. The colour of the copper-clad facades also fits in with the surroundings. The internal soffit echoes the form of the roof. Not only are the sloping surfaces of advantage acoustically; their complex three-dimensional geometry creates zones of different character that help the children to identify with the individual rooms

This concept is reinforced by four coloured areas developed from a modified, rotated projection of the roof planes on to the ground. The colours run across the walls, ceilings and floors, extending and linking the various realms. The large hall at the centre of the square plan opens up the building and lends it transparency. From the hall, there are views out on all sides. Stepped down from the hall is the recreation area. These two spaces provide adequate scope for the children to play when the weather is bad outside.

In addition, the hall can be used by the residents of Marmoutier for a wide range of activities, such as talks, stage performances and other events. The hall provides access to the entire building, which means that there are virtually no corridors — and no bottlenecks when parents come to pick up their children. Small cloakroom areas articulate the entrances to the five group rooms.

All of these are directly linked with the outdoor realm and receive natural light from two sides, thanks partly to two internal open spaces that bring light, air and warmth into the heart of the building. One of these is occupied by a pool of water that will contain fish and insects. Fine sand lends the other courtyard a sensuous quality.

These spaces form an integral part of the indoor climate concept, aiding cross-ventilation. In addition, air is preheated in winter and cooled in summer in an underground duct. The underfloor heating to which this is linked ensures that the large areas of coloured concrete flooring form pleasant play areas.

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This article is an excerpt from DETAIL — Review of Architecture

   

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