Located in the heart of Cessange, the elementary school has been a prominent feature of the district’s urban landscape since the 1950s, alongside the church and the cultural centre. Owing to changes in the district's demographic makeup and the growing number of pupils, the existing building was no longer fit for purpose. As such, an annex built in 1962, housing a sports hall, a music room and several smaller rooms, was demolished to make way for an extension to the school. The project also provided an opportunity to renovate the school and improve its energy efficiency, while at the same time preserving its architectural identity.
Project overview
The project entailed extending and modernising the elementary school in Cessange so that it could accommodate the growing number of pupils in the district. A new wing was built where the former sports hall used to be located, forming an extension to the existing building that blends in harmoniously with the school's residential surroundings. The project also involved renovating the existing school building and improving its energy efficiency, ensuing a level of comfort and quality comparable to that of the new extension.
The new building houses nine additional classrooms, as well as several spaces designed to accommodate curricular activities, including a library and a multi-purpose room. The old and new parts of the school complex are connected by a central staircase enabling smooth flows between the different levels.
The outdoor facilities have also been completely redesigned. The schoolyard has been made bigger and reorganised to create different play and relaxation areas, with green spaces, a bike locker and a covered shelter. Special emphasis was placed on the site's accessibility features, and on improving its energy performance, which was achieved by providing better insulation, a heat-recovery ventilation system and state-of-the-art technical installations.
The draft project was approved by the College of the Mayor and Aldermen on 9 November 2015. The final project was approved by the Municipal Council on 17 June 2016.
Work commenced in February 2017 and was completed in September 2020.
