Kindergarten, preschool and primary school in Remerschen, L
description

A large centre for the “little ones”, serving three villages – Schengen, R emerschen and Wintrange. T he location is at the edge of R emerschen, in the simply enchanting ambiance of a rural village. HVP devoted particular attention to the articulation of this almost urban complex that explodes the local scale. The two buildings were composed on the site in such a way that the area between them – and not just around them – is registered as flowing outdoor space. As is so often the case with HVP the transition from outside to inside has a very special quality. I t is defined not as an exact, linear separation but as a spatial mediator. Hence the large, roofed entrance areas and the very broad overhang of the roof. The interior of the school and of the kindergarten/preschool offers a rich variety of experiences. T he unobstructed view of the outside – towards the landscape and towards the internal circulation on the other side – is almost celebrated, as is the differentiation in the classrooms and group rooms. T he ground floor classrooms, arranged in pairs with a special teaching room between them, have pre-cast elements in the ceiling that almost suggest a vaulted structure; at the first floor level there is a roof-light and two different room heights that creates an individual atmospheric additional value. T he provision of two levels in the kindergarten group rooms makes the spaces particularly convenient to use, the tall area is an unusual nine metres high. The range of materials used is almost didactic. G lass occurs as fixed glazing, as an expanded joint between the pre-cast elements, also differentiated in terms of colour; all the opening elements are hinged wooden flaps. T he concrete on the façade was poured using the typical HVP board formwork, inside it often occurs in the form of pre-cast elements and is always fair-face. O utdoors paved areas alternate with planted spaces where wonderfully fragrant woodchip mulch has been used.
DATA

Client: Administration communale de la commune de Schengen
Start of planning: 2000
Start of construction: 2001
Completion: 2003
Usable floor area school: 2.560 m2
Usable floor area school: 915 m2
Enclosed volume: 15.000 m3
Outdoor area: 11.560 m2