The school group "Les Violettes" by the architecture studio HEMAA maximizes the surface area of the playgrounds where it is developed from two new buildings located on its western corner, in such a way that the new volumes and the existing primary school building are connected by two light openings that give rise to double-height spaces, favoring the union and taking advantage of the abundant natural light.
The building, from its materials such as wood and glass, reflects the foliage of the trees while its spatial arrangement emphasizes the transparency between the volumes that make up the project and the openness to the sky. Thus, in an evocative and poetic way, priority is given to raw materials that, in addition to stabilizing the structure and preserving its duration over time, adapt its appearance to the different seasons and the climate.
"Les Violettes" school group by HEMAA. Photograph by Sergio Grazia.
Project description by HEMAA
The Les Violettes school complex is a village within the village of Mareil-Marly. Located on the heights of the town, the site is bordered by numerous remarkable trees and enjoys an unobstructed view to the west of the Paris metropolitan area, with the towers of La Défense visible in the distance. The existing buildings, with varied architectures from different periods, are nestled among trees and greenery, providing a privileged setting for children.
HEMAA designed a garden school that preserves and enhances the qualities of this natural environment. The building, with its material palette of wood and glass, reflects the foliage of the trees, while the spatial layout emphasizes transparency between building volumes and openness to the sky.
To maximize the surface area available for playgrounds sheltered from prevailing winds, the two new buildings are situated in the western corner of the site. The two new volumes and the existing elementary school building are linked by two luminous gaps that accommodate the double-height through-halls : the first, at the junction with the existing structure, serves as the elementary school hall, while the second, combining the kindergarten hall and covered play area, brings abundant natural light to the interior street.
The kindergarten is entirely on the ground floor, with all classrooms offering direct access to the courtyard—an essential request from the teaching staff. In both the old and new courtyards, the open-ground areas around the existing trees have been enlarged. Rainwater is redirected into these slightly recessed areas to encourage natural infiltration.
Evocative and Poetic Materiality
The choice of a lightweight, prefabricated French wooden structure reduced the noise and duration of the construction work, minimizing the impact on the site, which remained in use by the school community. The design highlights the fragmented nature of the structure with distinct treatments for the ground floor and the upper level.
The ground floor, a visual anchor for the children, forms a base that is widely open to the courtyards. It is clad in factory-treated vertical wooden slats. This cladding, made of French Douglas fir, is pre-aged with a gray finish to ensure its appearance remains stable over time. The upper level is wrapped in a reflective skin of mirrored aluminum panels interspersed with glass windows. The facade reflects the foliage of the trees, the sky, and the distant landscape, causing the building to change its appearance and colors with the seasons and weather. The softly curved and taut roofs appear to float above the courtyards.
Inside, raw materials are prioritized. The wooden framework is exposed throughout, and the prefabricated concrete walls of the halls, which stabilize the structure, are left untreated. Acoustics are managed with compacted natural wood fiber placed betweenthe structural beams. The insulation is made of wood wool. The utility systems are exposed and neatly integrated.
The compact design of the building, which prioritizes playground space, led to the installation of central corridors that distribute rooms on both sides. To naturally illuminate these spaces, windows are incorporated into the walls separating classrooms and corridors. The ends of these circulation spaces are also glazed, ensuring that every point offers a view of the outdoors and surrounding greenery.
