COLLEGE SAMUEL PATY | ARCHIPENTE

The current crisis serves as a reminder: resource-efficient and energy-efficient architecture is not a subsidiary subject. Associated with Maître Cube, within a design-construction-operation-maintenance consortium, ARCHIPENTE agency has envisioned the Samuel-Paty College in Valenton, as it has always approached its projects since 1978: as a fervent advocate of bioclimatic building design. This is the first "Passive Building" certified college in France and the first college in the Île-de-France region with a wooden structure.

The school building, covering 8,500 square meters (750 students), consists of a concrete base and two levels of wood post-and-beam construction. It is certified as an HQE "Sustainable Building." A meticulous optimization process during the studies allowed it to be constructed at a lower cost compared to a traditional concrete building. Seventeen massing scenarios were tested using heliodons before finalizing the project's definitive composition, aiming for a balance between contextual integration, usability, and environmental imperatives.

A consortium of committed actors

Launched in late 2017, the competition was judged in September 2018. The consortium led by Maître Cube, a general wood construction company and the leading wood construction operator in France, was unanimously selected as the winner. In addition to ARCHIPENTE, this consortium primarily brought together actors committed to ecological transition: Enertech (an energy management expert for the past twenty years), Betrec IG (specialized in building engineering, wood structure, infrastructure, and environment), Tribu (a pioneer in eco-responsible building and territorial design), and Omnibus (a landscape architect focused on frugality).
With the exception of the delayed delivery of the gymnasium due to the COVID-19 pandemic (construction began in March 2020), the construction of the school was completed in eighteen months. Engie Axima is responsible for its operation and maintenance until 2024, after which it will be transferred to the Val-de-Marne department. The consortium has two years to address any issues with the building, and they commit to ensuring that the projected energy consumption is not exceeded (15 kWh/m2/year for heating, etc.) and to controlling summer overheating (no day with an indoor temperature exceeding 25°C).

Three buildings, three functions

Located at the corner of Avenue Guy-Môquet and Rue du Colonel-Fabien, the project consists of three separate buildings that can function independently. The main entrances to the educational building and the gymnasium are located on Mail Yvonne-Hagnauer, a recently opened pedestrian area by the municipality of Valenton between Rue du 8-Mai-1945 and Rue du Colonel-Fabien. This space is protected from car traffic, providing a calm and secure environment for students and families. The six staff accommodations (double or triple-oriented T5 apartments) are located to the north of the plot, connected to the residential fabric of the neighborhood. They face Avenue Guy-Môquet, allowing occupants to disconnect from their professional environment.
The gymnasium features a collective sports field (for handball, basketball, etc.), a dance studio, and a 14-meter-high climbing wall. It offers various modes of operation depending on the day, time, and users. Outside of school hours, it is made available to associations and sports clubs. The ground floor, which students can access directly from the school grounds, houses the multipurpose hall, changing rooms, and toilets. The first floor is exclusively dedicated to sports activities. It is composed of wooden frames with underlying beams and is punctuated by tall openings on the northwest façade, extended by five rectangular roof lights oriented towards the northeastern light.
The secondary school students have a bicycle and scooter parking area, sheltered by the canopy that borders the entrance gate. They access the classrooms from the playground (a program requirement) by crossing the covered walkway located beneath the educational building. The south-facing orientation of the building allows for maximum winter solar gains and protects the classrooms from summer heat with motorized blinds (adjustable and tiltable slats). Most of the time, the playground is only shaded by vegetation

Three buildings, one architecture

Inside, the predominant colors are white, wood, and raw concrete. The light tones harmonize with the brightness of the spaces. Abundant natural light is achieved through continuous strips of triple glazing set within wood-aluminum hybrid frames. Over a hundred light ducts (stainless steel tubes, curved or straight) provide natural lighting to the central corridors and the back of practical workrooms (for artistic and scientific education).
All facades share the same design language, whether it's the educational building, the gymnasium, or the staff accommodations. The spandrels, windows, and blinds have a cream color that echoes the wood interiors. The MOB (wooden frame) fillings are clad with light gray fiber cement panels (Equitone). Steel sunshades, acting as sunbreakers, are installed in front of the staircases and unique spaces (such as the library and gymnasium) to create varied lighting atmospheres, their kinetics guided by the time of day and sunlight.
As is customary, ARCHIPENTE has anticipated the possibility of installing photovoltaic panels on the "fifth façade" of the buildings. The south-facing roof slopes, technical provisions, and structural dimensions are designed to accommodate the weight of the panels and their frameworks. Considering the significant rise in energy prices, the department has embraced the idea of producing its own electricity. A study has been approved to implement a photovoltaic power plant on the college's rooftops. The project will then meet the criteria for "Passive Plus Building" certification.

Open plan, active framework

There are essentially two ways to construct energy-efficient buildings. The first involves relying on thick insulation and the efficiency of machines. The second approach involves optimizing the design phase, considering that what is not spent on technology can be invested in material choices and spaces. In Valenton, the second approach is clearly favored. Wood is an excellent ally in this regard. Instead of a concrete structure, a timber frame can accommodate the majority of insulation within its framework.
In total, approximately 1,000 m3 of wood, 85% of which is sourced from France, is used in the project. Constructing the floors using dry construction methods requires precise structural planning. All the glulam frames are installed on a 120 cm grid, a measurement that corresponds to the standard width of a wood panel (or wood derivative). As a result, all dimensions in the project are multiples of 30 cm (60 cm, 1.20 m, 2.40 m, 3.60 m, etc.). No partition walls hinder the principle of open plan buildings, which allows for flexibility in modifying partitions according to evolving needs. Concrete cores for staircases and a few diagonal bracing elements are sufficient to stabilize the wooden structure.
The concept of an "active framework" is another valuable tool for the project's flexibility, envisioned by ARCHIPENTE. It involves reserving a long series of service ducts on either side of the central corridors for distributing electricity and utilities. This strategy simplifies the management of space for the double-flow ventilation system, reduces the plenum height of false ceilings, and allows access to technical elements without disrupting the classrooms. This approach will be particularly beneficial when implementing the photovoltaic electricity generation system for the school. As the illustrious Alvaro Siza highlighted, "Architecture begins when all constraints have been integrated."

Technical Specifications
Location
Mail Yvonne-Hagnauer, Valenton (94)

Project Owner
Département du Val-de-Marne

Group's representative builder
Maître Cube Île-de-France

Architect
Archipente

Landscape Architect
Omnibus

Engineering Consultants
Betrec IG (economics, fire safety, infrastructure), Betrec lignalithe (structure), Enertech (fluids), Rez’On (acoustics), Tribu (High Environmental Quality), GBA Energie (collective catering), Preventech Consulting (ergonomics), Bureau Veritas Construction (safety and public security)

Operation and Maintenance
Engie Axima

Group Coordinator
Aequo Construction

Mission
Global Performance Public Procurement

Environmental Approach
Certified Passive House, High Environmental Quality BD Excellent 9* certified, E4C1 design approach
Validated bio-based building approach
Renewable energy production: 70.3 kWh/(m²a)
Frequency of overheating > 25°C: 0.0%

Usable Area
8 500 m2

Total Project Cost
19.5 million euros excluding taxes

Timeline
September 2022 (delivery of the gymnasium), August 2021 (delivery of the college and housing), March 2020 (start of construction), June 2018 (submission of the bid)