New Massy Secondary School – by Ameller Dubois

A place with a real identity
The name sends a clear message about the direction the new college will take: a building that promotes equality between girls and boys, a place that fosters social integration, and that perceives itself as a place of holistic education.
 “Claudine Hermann was a French physicist who became the first female professor at the École Polytechnique and lived in Massy. She was a woman who dedicated her life to advocating for equality between women and men.“’ Stéphane Védrenne, Ameller Dubois.
Photo: © Hugo Hebrard, Paris, FR

As a showcase project for future educational buildings, the new school combines functional, aesthetic, and ecological qualities. This includes having a responsible attitude towards the natural world and its finite resources, with the dual aim of conserving existing habitats and of preserving them for future generations. Energy is generated by a solar power system on the roof. Passive strategies such as sun protection elements prevent solar heat gain. Rainwater is collected and used in building operations.
Photo: © Manuel Panaget, Le Mesnil-le-Roi, FR

The elongated building is clad in a light-coloured render facade. The rounded corners provide a visually striking detail, gently transitioning into the individual angles of the U-shaped cube structure.
Photo: © Manuel Panaget, Le Mesnil-le-Roi, FR

On a site formerly used by Air France as a training centre for aviation professions, the architectural firm Ameller Dubois has designed the school complex which comprises several buildings. It is characterised by spacious green areas and mature trees, which were deliberately integrated into the planning. Great importance was attached to harmoniously integrating the buildings into the existing green space.

Showing respect for the natural world
Adjacent to the park, which has the German equivalent of Grade 2 listed status in the UK, this secondary school’s large space requirements were addressed by building a compact three-storey structure that blends in with the surrounding landscape.

Versatile open space design
Natural elements already present on the site were identified by the planners, preserved and integrated into the open space concept. This resulted in the creation of six specific green space areas: a grassy hill with seating, a lofty clearing, a garden of sciences, micro-reserves for local flora and fauna, and a forest area.

A particular highlight of this open space design can be found in the inner courtyard of the school complex. The wings of the building frame the central playground on three sides, in the middle of which an old cedar tree has been preserved. It is the defining green element of the space, providing shade and serving as an eye-catching meeting place.

Reduction in construction volume
The school building is divided into a single-storey, solid base made of brown-coloured exposed concrete. The two upper storeys have a timber-frame construction. The offset levels of this construction visually break up the large building volume into individual layers that are embedded in the sloping plot in a stepped pattern. Photo: © Hugo Hebrard, Paris, FR

Hybrid timber construction
The Collège was built as a hybrid structure comprising a solid concrete base with a timber-frame structure for the upper floors. Thanks to the high-performance facade construction, ambitious energy efficiency and sustainability requirements were met without compromising fire safety.

Efficient, sustainable, and non-combustible
The timber construction is insulated with mineral wool. With a heat transfer coefficient of less than 0.15 W/(m²K), the entire wall structure contributes significantly to the building's excellent energy rating: with low CO₂ emissions and an excellent overall energy balance during operation, the project complies with the French E3C1 energy standard.
With 60 mm thick mineral wool on the outside and BA18 plasterboards on the inside, the load-bearing timber structure is safely protected in the event of a fire.

The rounded corners provide a visually striking detail, gently transitioning into the individual angles of the U-shaped cube structure.
Photo: © Manuel Panaget, Le Mesnil-le-Roi, FR