Projects / Louis-Saint-Laurent School
A reimagined learning environment for children
The expansion, built with a timber structure, integrates seamlessly with the existing building, both in scale and in its choice of materials.
A renewed learning environment rooted in community and childhood
Built in 1959, the original school reflects the architectural character of its era, with a two-storey volume, pitched roof, and red brick cladding. The expansion project aims to transform this heritage building into a contemporary, child-centered learning environment that remains closely connected to the outdoors while responding to evolving educational needs.
New spaces designed for fluidity, collaboration, and clarity
The addition includes five preschool classrooms, a central learning commons, and a new entrance hall leading directly to the schoolyard. From this hall, a seamless passage connects to the existing building, creating a clear and intuitive circulation flow. At the heart of the project, the learning commons fosters collaboration, exploration, and creativity.
Several reconfigurations within the original building improve functionality and organization: administrative spaces are now grouped near the existing entrance, former isolated classrooms house art and music activities, and three new ground-floor locker areas act as buffers between the playground and upper-level corridors. A reorganization of the gymnasium area now provides a direct exterior access for community use. On the roof of the addition, an outdoor classroom expands educational opportunities and enhances access to exterior learning spaces.
Durable, warm architecture that respects the original building
Constructed with a wood structure, the expansion harmonizes with the existing school through thoughtful massing and material choices. Clad primarily in durable clay brick, the new pavilion adopts an inverted colour palette of the original building, ensuring a soft integration while highlighting its contemporary identity. Recessed entrances, marked by red-toned cement-composite panels, offer protection and warmth.
Generous windows animate the façades, bringing natural light into the hall and classrooms and lending lightness to the composition. Curved forms—echoing the rounded landscapes of the region—appear throughout the architecture and interior design, becoming a defining feature that brings movement, softness, and dynamism to this renewed educational environment.