Close from what it must have looked like when it was inaugurated, college Jean Mermoz is a typical witness of scholar architecture from the ’60s. We took the opportunity of the need, the extension of the meal facilities and the creation of the sciences cluster, to rethink progress and links between the different buildings, and redefine a new identity.

We remodeled so the topography between the day-school building and the canteen to get clear and disabled-accessible progress. We also declined the gallery theme and added a new one to link day-school building and canteen. The two new ensembles have a similar architectural writing. The two façades redefine the entrance perspective.

Two wooden nets held by a steel frame are responding one to another, in different planes and redefine the yard background landscape. Working the pattern, the chevron here, a strong materiality and the link with nature reintroduced in the yard lead to a strong and warm new identity, catching sunlight and shadows.

The canteen, as well as the science classrooms, are at the same time generously opened outward and protected by the wooden net. Inner spaces are also carefully worked with the expression of exposed concrete, wood, the patterned tiles and daylight in corridors.