Oiseau Lyre, a school in the French commune of Noisy-le-Grand, is exploring a Finnish-inspired pedagogical method of learning. Designed by Grenoble-based r2k architecte, Oiseau Lyre is an energy-positive building made from wood that offers a diversity of shared spaces. The school provides a framework for active pedagogies — active learning — based on cognitive research.
The spatial design of Oiseau Lyre includes introducing the latest educational expertise of Nordic schools alongside lessons learned from Lab-École — this Quebec “School-Lab” initiative is based on a combination of physical environment, physical activity and well-being, and nutrition. Nordic pedagogies are typically progressive, student-centered, and holistic — these models were observed in Finnish schools by r2k. A range of principles, from participatory educational spaces to increased autonomy for children, were then incorporated into Oiseau Lyre’s design.
Oiseau Lyre is anchored on a steep eight-meter-high plot (approx. 26 feet) and has a total building area of 6,257 square meters (67,350 square feet). Set across four levels, the school’s design respects the proportions of surrounding buildings — three of these levels connect directly with the natural terrain. Akin to a Palladian villa, its “functions are embedded in the core of the building, in an area filled with natural light and the social vibrancy of the school,” says r2k.
Oiseau Lyre includes 24 classrooms for both kindergarten and elementary/primary school children, and eight rooms used for recreation. The school’s common areas — a multipurpose room with direct external access, motor room, art galleries, library, restaurant, and sports hall — are shared with civic associations outside school hours/during holidays. There is a firm emphasis on learning through play and exploration, for example, “a walk-in cloister, enclosed by an aerial suspension bridge, continues its descent via a slide onto the bumpy ground of the courtyard,” says r2k.
The project’s design prioritizes an abundance of natural light across its varied spaces, facilitated by interior and exterior glazing, skylights, and an atrium at the heart of the building. “Light and materiality are essential parts of well-being and from the interior spaces, the view of the private gardens greatly contributes to a peaceful atmosphere,” says r2k. The combined use of wood throughout the building, indirect lighting, and a pastel color palette, completes the calming effect. “The school's ‘living wood’ consists of visible constructive elements and refined coatings, with pleated cladding cut to measure,” says the studio.
Oiseau Lyre’s wooden structure ensures it sits quietly within the surrounding environment. Biophilic design is central to the work undertaken by r2k — the studio prioritizes the use of renewable and natural materials. As a renewable resource and one that absorbs and stores carbon, wood is therefore ideal in terms of its aesthetic and functional properties. In Oiseau Lyre, there are a number of structural wood typologies, including: truss lattices that form sheds, ribbed cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) accessible roof floor coffers, wood frame walls, CLT splits, and wooden beam posts that act as a primary skeleton. “Crossing through the elementary courtyard to the gym, trusses of 22 meters [approx. 72 feet] are arranged in a shed to form a courtyard that introduces a soft light and supports the solar panels,” says r2k.
To achieve an energy-positive building, r2k considered and addressed a number of factors, including: limiting any thermal loss, capturing renewable energy in passive and active ways by integrating south-facing photovoltaic panels, using double flow ventilation equipment to naturally ventilate classrooms, and providing internal floor heating via eleven geothermal wells. A 2,038-square-meter (21,937-square-feet) green roof helps to reduce energy consumption, contributes to stormwater management, and provides a microclimate for birds and beneficial insects.
