Located in Chicoutimi, Saguenay, l’école de l’Étincelle is a shining example of architecture firmly rooted in its context. The design reimagines schools, offering a child-friendly scale by dividing it into small houses around a central courtyard. This creates a familiar, comforting atmosphere, fostering student comfort and love for learning, just like at home.
The school's silhouette blends with the residential landscape and reflects Saguenay's northern nature. It is made entirely of locally sourced wood. Inside the school, three distinct wings delineate its different functions.
The street-facing wing includes staff rooms on the ground floor and preschool classrooms on the level below.
The central wing transform the library into a community learning hub, that can also be use by the community. It features a gathering area with bleachers and includes a Creative Lab with cutting-edge tech and a Culinary Lab with a professional kitchen on either side.
The left wing houses the classrooms with three sloped roof cottages creating small, home-like schools within the building. Collaborative spaces in the middle of each classroom mimic public squares, fostering teamwork and mutual support among students.
The chalet, a distinctive part of the program, serves as a dedicated space for young individuals with special needs, fostering socio-affective development.
Sun-drenched interstices between cottages create pathways opening into the courtyard, nurturing social interaction, curiosity, and students’ independence.
The landscaping extends the learning space beyond the walls of the school. Designed for Saguenay’s northern climate, it sits within the school's U-shaped structure. It provides a secure area for various activities: sports, outdoor learning, sheltered recreation, gardening, and both individual and group play spaces.
The school is a brilliant example of efficient energy use, with smaller, sustainable systems like air-source heat pumps and radiant floors, aiming for LEED V4 certification for its eco-friendly efforts.
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