Marie Curie High School

The plan of Marie Curie high school in Versailles hooks a series of volumes alongside a line that crosses the site opening up to the dividing park.

The ground floor distinguishes itself like a singular stratum, thus unifying the exceptionally sensible scientific pole (a department for microbiological research, unique in France), on which each volume is positioned.

This project is a profound contrast between heavy and light, suspension of curved sections or treated concrete frames, hanging from walls of glass and stainless steel with bright finish Uginox Bright on 304-1.4301 grade.  

The “sun shade louvres” bring back unity by piercing and splashing bubbles of light onto the facades and the interior of the side elevation.

This architecture, simply marked by horizontal stratums, extends out into a well kept garden.

In a fluid movement, fed from both sides by connecting footbridges, the light and luminous transparency of the “sun shade louvres” irradiates. This circulates fluidity giving the school a lively and convivial hub with all the “CDI” (Documentation and Information Center) and teacher rooms at its core, opening up the flow of students in order to occupy the whole of the site.

Grand spaces filled with light; the audiovisual room, the CDI, the teachers rooms, the foyer and the specialized 120m² rooms open out into the adjacent park, let the high school become aware of a degree of maturity in its classes and its future perspectives opening up towards the campus.

To the south, the awkwardly shaped gymnasium incites the care of body and mind following that line drawn in the fauna.

Stainless steel hugs the curves and arches of the envelope showing that this material has arguably the highest mechanical properties compared to all metal materials . Stainless steel is easy to work giving a very successful design.