Science and nature school, La Rochelle

The Villeneuve-les-Salines district is getting a new lease of life with the construction of a pioneering, innovative and ambitious facility. The first green school to emerge from a consultation process is about to see the light of day. This exemplary school is an open, adaptable, multi-purpose educational complex. Following in the footsteps of the Lavoisier educational estate, whose structure has been partially preserved, extended and redesigned, a strong link is established between a school, nature and local residents. Achieving this collective ambition means, first and foremost, establishing a foothold in an area where the natural heritage will be showcased. It also means engaging in dialogue with local residents and encouraging them to take part in the school’s activities by offering an attractive, unified and emblematic site. Above all, it means responding to the main challenge set by the programme: making the relationship with nature an educational tool and a way of living together.

The project creates a strong link between the wetland and the outdoor recreational areas, bringing water back to the heart of the educational and recreational sphere. Within the school complex, the banks have been reshaped to encourage contact with the marsh ecosystem. Softer slopes and a pontoon bridge allow children to approach and experience this landscape in complete safety. An arm of water designed as a landscaped ditch, a real offshoot of the pond, is created to envelop the courtyard and create a natural boundary between the perimeter of the school and the public space.
The Lavoisier education estate is friendly, respectful of nature and open to parents and residents alike. It’s a place of balance, between conservation and novelty, between human intervention and the natural ecosystem. It’s a fulfilling place of learning, where it’s good to live and learn to know and respect the natural environment.