Jean Carrière School and Recreation Center in Nîmes

  • Jean Carrière School and Recreation Center in Nîmes, with elevated timber volumes on a stone base, large glazed corners and shaded exterior circulation.
  • Interior corridor of Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, with timber-framed glazed partitions, warm linoleum floor and full-height window on plane trees.
  • Interior of Jean Carrière School in Nîmes with timber ceiling, large shaded windows, light furniture and views into the surrounding plane trees.
  • Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, elevated on steel stilts above a timber deck, with plane trees piercing a shaded metal and wood facade.
  • Metal grating balcony and canopy with timber structure and external blinds at Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, opening onto plane trees and roofs.
  • Street view of Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, showing timber-clad volumes above a solid base set among mature trees and neighboring houses.
  • Section drawings of the Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, showing stilted volumes, stone base, steel and timber structure, and deep metal sunshade overhangs.
    Axonometric assembly diagrams of the Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, showing elevated steel and timber volumes, floor and roof structures in sequence.
    Structural plans of the Jean Carrière School complex in Nîmes, showing elevated steel and timber grids, cross circulation joints and roof layouts among trees.

Project description

Located in a flood-prone area among large plane trees, the school rises on stilts and is divided into four volumes to fit between the trees. The offsets create a cross-shaped circulation area that is widely open to the landscape. The construction combines a solid stone base, a primary steel structure and a timber frame. The project prioritises low energy consumption and natural ventilation to ensure summer comfort in a Mediterranean climate. Large metal grating overhangs provide passive solar protection and extend the spaces into the plane tree canopy.

Project details

  • Address
    15 rue Maurice Fayet, Nîmes, Gard
  • Dates
    2008-2011
  • Programme
    6 classrooms, psychomotor room, recreation center, and school cafeteria
  • Surface area
    1,750 m2
  • Budget
    30.5 M€
  • Regulatory framework
    RT 2005
  • Carbon emissions
    280 kgCO2eq/m2
  • Energy consumption
    40 kWh/m2/year
  • Labels
    Bâtiment Durable Méditerranéen Or, BBC Effinergie
  • Notable details
    Geothermal with reversible heat pump, cellulose wadding and wood fiber insulation
  • Awards
    2014 Trophée bâtiment santé
  • Selected media
    Detail 3.2013 Building for Children, AMC – Janvier 2013, Woodsurfer – Juin 2012

Credits

  • Client
    Ville de Nîmes
  • Lead architect
    Tectoniques (architect)
  • Project management
    Atelier GA (architect), Jacques Anglade (timber structure), IGBAT&CO (cost consultant, electrical engineering, MEP engineering, concrete structure), Inddigo (sustainability consultant), Itinéraire bis (landscape architect), Les éclaireurs (lighting designer), Egis (roads and utilities)
  • Photography
    Jérôme Ricolleau, Tectoniques

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