Jongny school site

INTEGRATION IN THE CONTEXT

Lucie, the name of the project, is discreet, attentive to the views and light from which it takes its name. 
It nestles into the slope, following the lines of leakage and the façades of neighbouring buildings to preserve the full extent of the site and the views from the project shows this: Lucie can see far, all the way to Mont Velan, 70 km away. To the right of the bell tower of the old college, the horizon still reveals the Dents du Midi, then closer up the Pointe de Bellevue, the Grammont and the Dent d'Oche. 
Lucie can't see the lower altitudes, but the distant slopes ensure that the lake remains at the foot of the hills. 
To the left of the bell tower and as far as the Chemin de la Fontaine, Lucie suggests planting bushes and maintaining the existing view. 

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The school site is complex, due to three key factors: the views, the sloping ground and the historic buildings. 
The aim of the project is to fit in with these three elements, while at the same time serving the needs of the children. 
The choice of location for the new building is the result of the desire to maintain a "green heart" at the centre of the school site: a heart shared by the children, but protected from the outside world by the buildings that define the boundary of the site, in a dialogue with the urban context. 
In addition, this layout ensures maximum respect for existing views towards Lake Geneva and the mountains (radar map): by favouring horizontal development and limiting heights, the buildings reduce their visual impact and blend into the landscape, all on a scale that is appropriate for children. 
This choice of height also serves a flexibility aspect, by allowing for future heightening, should needs make this necessary. 
Limiting the height was also a decision based on respect for the historic buildings on the site: the project communicates with them, integrating without dominating, to create a balanced and harmonious whole. 
The slope of the site was approached more as an opportunity: in the same way as a children's slide, the new buildings use the slope to develop, using half storeys and linking the different functions into an organic whole with the landscape. 

 

ACCESS

Access to the site follows the flow of functions and users, giving the site a permeable character. 
The school courtyard will continue to provide entrances to the old school and the renovated new school. By crossing the courtyard, children will be able to access the day-care in complete safety, either via the main entrance, close to the entrance to the site, or via its entrance directly linked to the "green heart". The rhythmic gymnasium is seen as a function linked to the school site, but also in continuity with the outdoor sports facilities and with the neighbourhood: an underground entrance is possible directly from the new secondary school building; a public entrance is located on the school courtyard, giving this space flexibility of use. 
On the opposite side of the building is the entrance to the nursery: a more private and quiet entrance, though linked to the rest of the site by the fluidity of the external layout. 

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EXTERNAL SPACES

Pedestrians can cross the entire site from north to south thanks to the wide "donkey steps" linking the lookout point on chemin de la Poste to the school courtyard. These gently sloping steps make it easy for pushchairs to get through. 
Pedestrians can also cross from west to east, either downstream, by entering the courtyard in front of the new secondary school, or upstream by passing under the crèche ramp. 
The outdoor spaces take advantage of the topography to provide areas dedicated to activities such as sport, gardening and nature observation. Set against low dry stone walls that respect the site's historic heritage, the activity terraces offer 450 m2 of sports lawn, 110 m2 of educational vegetable garden, 390 m2 of sports field and 140 m2 of biodiversity refuge, including hedgerows ideal for small passerines, an insect hotel and formations to help maintain microfauna.

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At the heart of the site, the courtyard is alive with mini-buttes planted with trees that are emblematic of childhood: the apple tree, the Burlat cherry tree and the bird sorb. 
Their spring flowering, the early cherries at the end of May, the red leaves in autumn, and the clusters of drooping berries on the rowan, where blackbirds and tits gather in winter, accompany the passage of the school year and provide a constant source of wonder. 
The same trees grow more densely in the nursery orchard: a cocoon of greenery and playground dedicated to young children. Easily accessible by the ramp and protected from the road by the topography, the orchard is a free space for games of skill and climbing. 

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VOLUME AND PROGRAM

The decision to maintain and renew the new college, by raising its height, makes it an important landmark for the site. 
With the exception of the facades, which have been slightly thickened to accommodate peripheral insulation, the new building retains its footprint, and its elevation is in keeping with the existing building. 
The complexity of the new building combines several objectives: to guarantee direct access from each programme (after-school, nursery, sports hall) to the 'green heart', seeing the latter as a continuation of the interior spaces and an educational opportunity; to develop each programme (nursery and after-school) on an independent platform, in order to facilitate flows and flexible use; to optimise the exposure and use of direct and indirect natural light, both for the well-being of users and with a view to saving energy. 

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MATERIALITY

The urban context of the site is characterised by buildings of a typology that is quite specific to the location. In addition, the historic buildings call for respect and integration. For these reasons, the new buildings reflect the desire to integrate into this context in a way that is modern, flexible and child-friendly. The façade is designed on two levels: the exterior - the urban face - with an appearance that reflects the context, and the recessed wooden façade, which acts as a link between the interior and exterior.