Glass & Sealed Units Extra
COMBINING A COZY COCOON WITH WONDERFUL VIEWS
Located 18 miles from Limoges , on the outskirts of Briance , the village of Pierre-Buffière ( 87 ) perches atop the valley that surrounds it . OX ARCHITECTURES placed these leafy surroundings at the heart of its project to rebuild the Jean Peyraud elementary school . The 10,764 ft ² project winds around the edges of the plot , offering students and teaching staff stunning views of the Limousin hills . To address a small plot that includes a slope with a drop of twenty feet to the west , the project features an overhang on stilts .
» COMPLETED LAST NOVEMBER , THE school is now home to two kindergarten classes ( junior and intermediate ), three elementary school classes ( CE2 , CM1 and CM2 ), a preschool , an exercise room and a multimedia room – all under one roof . Built to replace the previous building , it redistributes the space to create an entirely separate construction from the middle school . The outward-facing facades and roofs feature an aluminum diamond cladding in a zinc gray and gold color scheme . The scales subtly complement the organic shape of the building that echoes its surroundings .
Committed to maintaining a link between the interior and the surrounding landscape , architects Marie REMILLAC and Laurent BILLAT called for SageGlass ® dynamic glazing in the classrooms , multimedia room and shared studio facing west and south-east .
“ The huge benefit of SageGlass glazing is the smart way it controls the sun ’ s rays . This helps maintain the advantages of glass while dispensing with its major disadvantages : glare and overheating , whichever way the building faces , whenever and whatever the weather . The influx of natural light and the view of the outdoors are preserved , creating a sense of comfort and well-being . These benefits also have a positive impact on students ’ concentration and performance ,” according to the architects .
Just under 536 ft ² of SageGlass double glazing ( subject to DTA ), or 1 / 3 of the entire glazed surface , was fitted on the building on 17 fixed and tilt / turn aluminum frames by Limoges-based Miroiterie Raynaud SAS ( Aluminier Agréé Technal ). SageGlass glazing automatically adjusts its tint level to the level of sunlight . It subtly controls the amount of heat and light entering the room while preserving a constant connection with the outside world . Pulling down blinds and closing shades to prevent glare and reduce heat is a thing of the past . Students and teachers alike enjoy visual , acoustic and thermal comfort suitable for concentration and creativity , key elements that shape educational attainment . The glazing ’ s heat regulation also helps to reduce the school ’ s running costs ( energy and maintenance bills ). SageGlass is on hand to support the project owner in the long term : the company gathers feedback on user experience , allowing it to adjust controls remotely or on site depending on requirements .
NATURAL LIGHT AND LANDSCAPES – THE KEYS TO SUCCESS
Many scientific studies have proven how crucial natural light and views of the outdoors are to the well-being of both adults and children , who spend more than 90 % of their time inside buildings . No matter what level of solar protection , SageGlass glazing with variable tinting stays transparent , preserving these two elements that also stimulate cognitive function . This boosts children ’ s concentration and capacity for learning . Views of the outdoors give the eyes a break and satisfy our need for distraction and connection with the world by erasing the border between inside and out ( the concept of biophilia ). This reduces occupants ’ feelings of fatigue throughout the day , which has a particular impact on reducing absenteeism among teaching staff .
SHADED FROM VIEW
From the outside , the tinted glazing protects students from prying eyes . A key feature for a school .
DISCREET PROTECTION
One thing is crystal clear – silence matters . SageGlass glazing changes tint level in silence , in a gradual and natural way . Building occupants flourish in a comfortable environment , without even noticing that the dynamic glazing is largely responsible for their thermal comfort and pleasant lighting conditions .
PLEASANT TEMPERATURES ALL YEAR ROUND
The dynamic solar control built into the glazing helps keep temperatures pleasant in the classroom all year round .
72 » SEP 2021 » CLEARVIEW-UK . COM