Child & Family Centre

Our architecture embraces the scale of the passer-by. The building is not characterized by any monumental quality, but fully defines its place by the space which it generates, which is public space.

Notwithstanding the dichotomy which exists between constraints defined by construction permits for the plot and requirements expressed in terms of surface area, we reject the hyper-compact approach. Accordingly, the Child & Family Centre, with its expansive cantilevered structure, frees up the ground space, embraces the town and welcomes in the public.

The building is white, with clean and minimalistic lines which combine an invitation to calm with a seamless assertion of its presence in the surroundings. Restraint represents an expression of strength : the Child & Family Centre assumes a patriarchal air – wise, respectful and respected.

Exploiting the topography of the site, the nurseries are built in a semi-underground arrangement. This design preference offers numerous advantages. It provides the nurseries with a strictly dedicated entrance from the lower end of the Rue du Jura. Visitors thus walk up a gentle slope to a garden, which provides a front-line filter for urban pollution. The nurseries also enjoy the benefits of the mass effect of soil, which provides acoustic insulation from urban disturbances, including the yard spaces, which are sheltered from traffic noise.