ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
A SCHOOL IN THE TREES
THE PARISIAN AGENCY HEMAA ( CHARLES HESTERS AND PIERRE MARTIN- SAINT-ETIENNE ) COMPLETED THE LES VIOLETTES SCHOOL COMPLEX .
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 .
ARCHETECH - PAGE 38