The Briand-Buisson-Nadaud school in the northern French city of Lille was given a thorough overhaul in 2012.
The Briand-Buisson-Nadaud school group accommodates some 500 children in pre-school and primary education.
Since the building no longer met standards, the town administration opted for a thorough renovation.
Architectural firm ZIGZAG, which is linked to the engineering office ETR, succeeded in preserving the existing building, which belongs to the heritage of the City of Lille, and added a modern extension.
The old beige bricks go particularly well with the new dark grey stone and wooden cladding.
Both sections of the buildings are connected on the ground floor by an internal alley and on the upper floors by footbridges, which results in the building being surprisingly bright and airy.
ETAP's main and emergency lighting was perfectly integrated into the architecture, but also fitted in exactly with the city's desire to lower energy consumption and to house the pupils in a high-quality environment.
The project's major assets can be found in the increased value of the existing buildings, as well as in light quality, choice of colour and attention to detail.
Location: Lille, France Architect: ZIGZAG architecture Engineer: ETR Area: 5040 m2 Budget: € 10,75 mil. Year: 2013