DETAILS PROJECT
The Context: An Exemplary Rehabilitation and Extension
Since September 2022, around one thousand students at the Intercommunal Conservatory of Palaiseau (CRI) have been enjoying lessons in 53 disciplines in music and dance, all within a brand-new facility. Previously cramped and scattered across multiple sites, they are now based in the city center, housed in a former school that has been both rehabilitated and extended to host the conservatory as well as the Fabrique Culturelle, a space dedicated to exhibitions and artist residencies.
Winner of the design competition in 2018, the proposal by Deshoulières Jeanneau Architecte stood out for its focus on heritage and environmental values. “The architect chose to preserve the two original buildings and create a semi-underground connection, minimizing the project’s carbon footprint while efficiently accommodating 2,400 m² of program on a 3,600 m² plot,” explains Arnaud Martin, Director of Heritage and Construction at the Urban Planning and Quality of Life Department of the Paris-Saclay Urban Community.
The rehabilitated buildings now house administrative offices, music training rooms, and the Fabrique Culturelle. In place of the former schoolyard, the contemporary extension incorporates rehearsal and dance spaces, making use of the site’s steep slope to tuck an auditorium 7 meters below the open plaza. The entire facility is accessible from the main avenue, with a layout that fluidly connects all program areas.
The Challenges: High Environmental and Acoustic Standards
High environmental quality was the guiding principle of the project, which was selected by ADEME to participate in the E+C- experimental program. Another major challenge, specific to this type of facility, was acoustics. No fewer than 26 rooms are dedicated to music practice and instruction. The aim was to prevent sound interference between rooms and to ensure that nearby residents were not disturbed.
These core requirements shaped other key project goals, such as thermal performance, fluid circulation between levels, interior light quality, and aesthetic cohesion throughout the site. “We made sure that the solutions implemented met all of these criteria,” emphasizes Arnaud Martin. “Among them, the joinery played a major role.”
The brick and millstone of the early 20th century are elegantly complemented by 21st-century materials—glass and low-carbon aluminum—with 1,100 m² of curtain walls, windows, and access doors from WICONA. These were installed on both the new and rehabilitated parts of the building by Plastalu, the company awarded the macro-lot covering exterior joinery, solar shading, metalwork, and aluminum cladding.
WICONA’s Solutions: High Performance Across the Board
With one of the world’s lowest carbon footprints (2.3 kg of CO₂ per kg of aluminum), WICONA’s Hydro CIRCAL 75R aluminum systems were a valuable asset in this environmentally ambitious project, particularly in the Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) carried out for the carbon component (C-) of the E+C- program.
On the energy side (E+), these systems help achieve thermal transmittance values of 1.2 W/(m².K) for some curtain walls (MECANO 52 grid) and 1.4 W/(m².K) for high-insulation windows (WICLINE 65 HI+ and WICLINE 65 evo HI). Acoustic insulation was carefully tailored to each space’s needs, ranging from a standard 30 dB up to an impressive 43 dB.
The slim profiles of façades, windows, and doors (WICSTYLE 65) maximize natural light, especially in the three-level curtain walls surrounding the patio, which is set at basement level (R-1). The finishing touch: the joinery’s satin-textured RAL 8019 brown-grey color, harmoniously matched to the tones of the brick and millstone of the original school.
The Benefits: A Well-Orchestrated Project
“The project fully met the environmental specifications and integration requirements, thanks to a highly skilled multidisciplinary team and adherence to the estimated budget at the time,” notes Arnaud Martin.
Delivered three years later, after a technically complex but smoothly managed construction phase—even with the challenges of the COVID period—the CRI has earned HQE and E3C1 certifications and now welcomes its users with enthusiasm and satisfaction!
