They grow up so fast!

Published 10 April 2024

Render with permission: @forma6
Les Bourdonnières School Group, Nantes, France

Following Stora Enso's Sylva™ campaign for better schools, another low-carbon school is popping up in Nantes, France. It's one of nearly 250 new educational projects delivered by Stora Enso since launching the campaign just over a year ago. What's special about this school is that it's the first to be precoated in Stora Enso's new fully automated coating line. A nine million EUR investment put towards sustainable construction efficiency.

"We had to respond to the need for schools in this area. The main advantage of this type of building is that it can quickly meet needs…," says Gwenaëlle, Director at the City of Nantes' Education Department in the Nantes Metropole.

The 2,150 m² facility was designed with an offsite-manufactured Sylva™ CLT kit of parts that is helping the kindergarten and elementary school reach their ambitious sustainability goals, explained Sébastien Roy with forma6 architects.

Using robotics to precoat the Sylva™ CLT kit has already contributed to the rapid construction schedule ordered by the City of Nantes education department. Fast-to-build construction is critical for many school boards that desperately need to increase their capacity in a short window of time.

The hydrophobic water-based coating reduces the need for scheduling on-site labour to protect the wood during construction. By applying it under controlled mill conditions helps to ensure precise quality control before delivery. Preinstalled lifting straps are also inserted in the mill, making the elements easy to assemble.

Short installations also contribute to less noise pollution and traffic in and around the school area, which, for many schools that need extensions, can be a key factor in enabling classes to keep running while the project is underway.

Not just a pretty façade

The façade is made with recycled materials, certified bio-based wood fibre insulation, and sustainable and reusable wood. The biophilic building features excellent indoor air quality, vital for children's lungs, and high acoustic performance, creating an exceptional learning environment.

The space will also house a cafeteria, extracurricular activities and a multipurpose room on the ground floor. The pre-school has three classrooms, a library and documentation centre, a restroom, and a motor skill development room on the first floor. The second and final level will house the five elementary classrooms.

In the space developed using Sylva™ CLT Floors, Roofs and Walls a total of 230 students will be attending classes, spread across two levels.

Special thanks to forma6 for the interview and renders.