This gesture is reinforced by the presence of a lantern on the roof, which acts as a signal to wanderers crossing the park, underlining the civic character of this recreational area. The lightness of the folding wooden façade is in contrast with the brickwork of the building’s interior workshop, inverting the traditional order of building. Above it, a ceiling composed of concrete beams, through which light filters in, evokes a pergola structure.

The studio’s silhouette echoes the picturesque roofscape of the surrounding context, while the shed typology speaks to its function. The curved volume evokes the spatial qualities of classic garden galleries, which are recalled in plan through a wandering sequence leading from main house to the artist bureau. The wooden facade, stained in a dark green melts into nature, creating a field where floating metallic frames emerge. Translucent windows capture sunlight and the site’s lush vegetation.

A long figure, half stair, half stands, connects the exterior playground through the classrooms until the top floor. A cladding of wood shingles wraps the timber structure and is cutted-out to provide openings. The first floors shelter the classrooms within a field of columns which extend to the surrounding tree trunks, while the walls are adaptable. The sports hall overlooks the Salève and accommodates a lantern-like window that reveals the program stacking and crowns the volume.

Timber pilasters articulate the rhythm and the different openings varying between passages and an open bar. The chromatic game of figure and ground allows a visual intertwining of the screen and the kitchen features, blurring the limit between interior and exterior. Variations of the same primary colour – IKB and sky blue - emphasise the depth and surface quality of the elements. Exposed timber fragments, reference the existing oak floor, drawing a connection between old and new.

Influenced by the context of Renens, built of urban villas sitting in between vegetation, the school buildings gather around a central patio, forming a green village where students come together. The existing listed building is refurbished, constituting a public front towards the city, while four smaller buildings behind, two existing and two new, are clad with timber boards of differing colours, underlining their diverse characters.

The volume alternates between a mute form, underlining a dialogue with the landscape and geology of the site, and an emblematic figure looking towards the lake, calling to boats that pass by.

The project’s double “L” figure in plan echoes the barnhouse typologies of the village, creating a volumetric ensemble around the old church. Through its mirrored form, the children retain visual contact with their classmates, suggesting a continuous learning landscape. Vertical paths and generous circulation spaces in front of classrooms accommodate the hosting of activities beyond class hours and encourage alternative teaching methods.