Fondation St. Germain

INTEGRATION INTO THE SITE

In order to be able to integrate into such a complex site, the project develops around 3 goals:

• to ensure the necessary SAFETY, PROTECTION and TRANQUILLITY for the children;

• THE RESPECT THE HISTORIC BUILDINGS, making sure not to compete with them, but rather to highlight their key function for the site;

• Maintain OPENNESS TO THE VIEW, NATURE AND LIGHT in order to promote the children's well-being, by creating suitable spaces that will allow them to make the most of outdoor activities.

The result is a place of comfort and protection, a COCOON, where they can live and grow, as well as feel part of a community.

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ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT

Based on the 3 key elements of the project mentioned above, the project is characterised by a distinction between the strictly private programme (housing unit) and the "public" one.

The first is generated from the main building, towards the north, where a new community is created, although integrated and linked to the rest of the site thanks to the external spaces.

The second part of the programme is integrated in building, a place of connection between the site and the outside.

For the facades, the project combines the materiality of wood with a large glazed surface, given by the windows which, in their proportions and dimensions, repeat the openings of the main building.

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LANDSCAPE CONCEPT

Although the intention is to respect the existing park vegetation as much as possible, the project aims to improve and even reorganise the outdoor spaces, with the objective of allowing both individual and community use of the site, as well as educational activities.

While the buildings create a protective "barrier" on the urban side, the site opens up to nature on the opposite side and it is there, facing the view, that the landscaped areas are integrated.

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SPACES AND CIRCULATION

The site is divided into two zones: the "private" zone, with exclusive access for pedestrians and bicycles, and a "public", "urban" zone, where there are two car parks for 30 cars in total.

For building, access is via the private courtyard. A secondary and service access is possible for the administrative area.

For building, there are two accesses: one on the street side, for the administrative area. The other, on the opposite side, for the educational programme.