Apprentice Formation Centre / AIR

© Denis Ferratier

Architects:  AIR / Cyrille Hanappe & Olivier Leclercq
Location: Saint Maur des Fossés, France
Project team: David Pereyron, Noémie Pons Rotbardt, Arthur Couprie
Engineers: Betom
Acoustic Consultant: AYDA (Yves Dekeyrel)
Budget: $4,6M Euro
Project Area: 2,749 sqm
Project year: 2007-2009
Photographs: Denis Ferrattier, David Boureau

The extension of the Apprentice Formation Center is a compact and economic building. It achieves the composition of the complex of the Chambre des Métiers of the Val-de-Marne Departement, near Paris.

site plan

The raw yellow concrete facade gives a clear identity to the building. It comes down on the ground and back up again the previously existing building, creating an open air sunny room, a generous public space linking the old and the new. On the existing building, the concrete defines an extension of the cafeteria.

© David Boureau

© David Boureau

In a game of inversion, the new building backs its concrete facade and is based on a complex steel structure. The long span (20m) of the plumbers workshop is assured with full height beam that frames the second floor. The triangulations of these beams give the diamond shape of the upper level windows and the inclination of the zinc.

Source: archdaily.com