René-Guénette elementary school

The expansion of the René- Guénette School offers 12 new classrooms, a multipurpose room, a staff lounge and some offices. The school, which dates from 1964, had its first addition of 4 classrooms in 2001. The new structure is grafted to this addition. The new structure respects ecological principles, including green areas to the parking and the orientation of the building pending on the sunlight, a solar wall that preheats air was installed on the south side. The building has a white roof to minimize the creation of heat islands and the performance of envelope goes beyond the criteria recognized by the “Regulation respecting energy conservation in new buildings”. Finally, the concern for indoor environmental quality is reflected by the abundance of natural light, organization of vestibules at the entrances and natural ventilation.

The expansion was designed in compliance with the first building while asserting as new construction. The two floors of the expansion are easily connected with the existing building, thus bringing continuity to the flow. The new areas are versatile, their consistency will allow interchangeability of certain functions for future needs. The masonry, the shell materials, the steel and concrete structure and the interior design in concrete blocks ensure high durability of the new building. The blank wall marking the end of the long main facade was an opportunity to do a brick design a ship pointing to the horizon. This large fine work animates the opaque part of the wall. Finally, the new playful but sober expansion perfectly integrates with the classic character of the long façade of the René- Guénette School.