HIGH SCHOOL IN PRADES - FRANCE

Make it yours

+0.00 = 349.16 NGF

+3.35 = 352.51 NGF

+6.70 = 355.86 NGF

+10.05 = 359.21 NGF

+13.40 = 362.56 NGF

+16.50 = 365.66 NGF

+19.26 = 368.42 NGF

-0.69 = 348.47 NGF

+1.67 = 350.83 NGF

+5.02 = 354.18 NGF

+8.37 = 357.53 NGF

+11.72 = 360.88NGF

+16.40 = 365.56NGF

+17.04= 366.20 NGF

-2.84 = 346.32 NGF -2.84 = 346.32 NGF

19,2

3

17,0

2

0,11

4,67

0,32

3,01

0,35

3,00

0,35

2,99

0,35

2,01

2,01

0,61

0,11

0,45

0,05

2,50

0,12

0,68

0,05

2,50

0,09

0,71

0,05

2,50

0,09

0,71

0,05

2,50

0,12

0,58

0,05

2,59

3

The boys’ boarding house is the last phase of the renovation

programme of the Charles Renouvier high school in Prades,

a town in the French Pyrenees. The programme aimed

to modernise the establishment and bring it in line with

French thermal regulation RT 2012. This long building (73

metres) has a southerly/south-westerly orientation and

previously it was directly exposed to solar radiation. The

renovation work commissioned by the Occitania Regional

Council was intended to improve the well-being of pupils

and staff, and to generate 35 to 40 % of energy savings.

Architecture firms GOTANÈGRE & VERMEERSCH and

CHAMARD & FRAUDET responded to these specifications

by recommending 820 m² of perforated and corrugated

VMZINC® panels. The VMZINC® team and installation

company COMERO followed the design team’s layout plans

to create, manufacture, fold and install the 1,136 made-

to-order parts.

HIGH SCHOOL IN PRADES CLIENT :

Occitania regional council

ARCHITECTS :

Gotanegre & Vermeersch / Chamard & Fraudet

INSTALLER :

Comero

DELIVERY OF THE BUILDING :

December 2014

VMZINC® PRODUCTS :

1,136 perforated and corrugated panels

SURFACE AREA IN ZINC :

820 m2

4

This technical, architectural zinc Mashrabiya is fixed to a metal

framework. It makes it possible to shield the glass facade and serves

several purposes:

- a protective screen, which filters some of the heat and sunlight.

Combined with external insulation (type PSE 100 mm), it optimises

thermal comfort in winter and summer, while still providing natural

light. The latter floods into the living spaces, minimizing the use of

electric lighting.

- A screen providing greater privacy in the bedrooms overlooking

the high school’s courtyard. From indoors, boarders keep their view of

the exterior without being bothered by any prying eyes.

- an elegant QUARTZ-ZINC® envelope. It gives the building rhythm

and creates constantly changing plays of shadow and light. During

the daytime, it makes the building look lightweight and dynamic. At

nightfall, it seems to disappear and partially reveal the illuminated

interior of the dormitories.

Durable, resilient and easy to maintain, zinc is particularly suited to this mountainous environment.

5

Rhythmic forms and tones

The building, which houses the

boarding accommodation, is located at

the edge of the plot. Its architectural

programme is visible on its facade: a

podium on the first two floors grouping

together new classrooms that can cater

for up to 250 people, and three upper

floors for approximately sixty rooms.

Overhanging the timber of the day

area, the QUARTZ-ZINC® skin resizes the

building in its space, giving it nuance

and momentum, and mitigating its

monolithic aspect. The folds, combined

with the coloured glass panels, create

a dual rhythm for the building. These

multicoloured “pixels” protrude

arbitrarily from the facade. They

are reflected in the zinc mesh and

create variations in intensity of light

throughout the days and seasons.

VMZINC® meets the requirements of architects seeking original solutions to give their projects a specific identity. Colours on request, made-to-order forms, perforations, embossing or dimpling, the brand provides solutions for new means of expression. It acts as a genuine partner, supporting clients and design teams to budget, test and produce the ideal solution.

Make it yours

Type 11675 mmnbr 254

Type 21675 mmnbr 256

Type 31675 mmnbr 256

Type 31675 mmnbr 254

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Made-to-orderCreation and installation

Upstream of the project, a prototype

of the perforated and corrugated

system was produced and validated by

the two architecture firms. It features

perforations that are 5 mm in diameter

and spaced 8 mm apart, i.e. 35 %

transparency.

All the profiles were then packaged

and delivered per type of fold in order

to ensure fast, easy installation on

this 820 m² facade. Each module is

made up of four elements with specific

profiles.

They are fixed onto a metal

framework, 130 cm from the facade of

the building, using self-drilling screws

and washers at the edges of each

ribbed element.

The complete structure was designed

to guarantee resistance to winds of

over 160 kph, an asset for this high

school located in the Eastern French

Pyrenees, reputed for its Tramontana

wind!

35%transparency rate

7

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