School refectory in Pamiers - Benjamin Cros - France

Located in the heart of the historic center of Pamiers, the institution Notre-Dame is a school that extends its education scheme from preschool to highschool.

Inside the historical enclosure that the building occupies, that once was a convent called "Le Couvent des Cordeliers," the client wanted to build a new canteen to replace the old one.

The architectural design lies first in the choice of the project location, along a small street called "portail rouge," next to the old convent, to preserve the remarkable interior park, which plays a major role in the establishment of life. Our building takes advantage of this location to rebuild the existing outer wall, which gives it a chance to strengthen its new identity while maintaining a certain discretion and privacy for the students. This location gives the opportunity to bring a new dimension to the street, to the city of Pamiers.

Considering the legacy of the existing historical buildings, the new material's project had to be authentic, qualitative, and sustainable. Firstly, the poured-in-place concrete is noticeable, no artifice, it is a real structural finish. Its rusticity and imperfections are the truthful witnesses of a time and a place. The solid hand-molded brick is chosen not only for the site's history but also for its warmth and the know-how of the local contractors. Finally, untreated larch wood joineries are designed with the same approach.

Carved into this monolithic and massive outer wall, the facade's different plans and volumes emphasize the slight slope of the street thanks to their horizontality. This 78 meters long facade expresses a modern rendering of this local and traditional material that is brick, while remaining discreet within this historical environment, the two emblematic monuments of this little town of Ariege: the building of the "Cordeliers" and the tower bell.

In the courtyard, the new building creates a long cloister-like covered gallery to protect the student's pathway to the restaurant entrance. It also introduces a visual transition between the canteen and the garden. The kitchen and the air treatment both require oversized technical equipment, in regards to the size of the building. The service room location, extended on the restaurant, was the reason for the design of a double-height, permitting the entry of a more natural and generous light.

This first project, built in our hometown, evokes our childhood, a street taken countless times, along an old sad wall, with a hint of nostaligia in front of this french territory left behind, this abandoned heritage as it is the case today of many small villages in lack of attraction.