To breathe life into the ground floor façades, the architects from the firm REC chose sanded brick slips, echoing the colour of the local clay soil and the forecourt of the decommissioned concrete college. This unique colour, however, does not leave a monochrome substructure. In fact, the bricks have three subtle variations of tone, obtained thanks to varying degrees of abrasion. Randomly applied by the Sol Façade company, these modules give a vibrating effect to the building, avoiding monotony. The chromatic mood of the whole construction changes according to the daylight.
At each extremity of the establishment, two solid brick mashrabiya, sanded to the same abrasion levels, allow natural light to enter the interiors without breaking the uniformity of the façade. Worked with agility, they give the impression that the terracotta elements are distended to reveal voids, like a mesh that has been stretched across. Perforations degrade or strengthen as they approach or move away from structural posts that are ingeniously hidden under the facing brick. This sharp sense of detail hidden under an apparent simplicity, with sheer elegance that captivates visitors at first glance. It is simply beautiful.
Toulouse , France
Collège de Guilhermy
With its clean lines and minimalist geometry, emphasising the material, Guilhermy College is reminiscent of the modern movement. Located in an area undergoing urban development to the south-west of Toulouse, this establishment is wrapped around two hundred-year-old cedars. It acts like a protective cocoon for the 600 students that it has welcomed since the beginning of September. Its terracotta footings anchor the project in its context, forming a natural link between the frame and the very present vegetation, while the immaculate white floors appear to levitate.
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Year of delivery
2022
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Location
Toulouse France
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Architect / signatory
REC architecture
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Project owner
Conseil Départemental Haute Garonne
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Installation company
Sol façade
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Photograph
Kévin Dolmaire photographe
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Product name
Brick-Slip
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Product form
Standard
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Epidermis texture
Through body colour, Poncé, Sanded
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Surface appearance
Shaded natural
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Color
Smooth stone colour, sanded stone colour, pumiced stone colour
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Work
New
Titre d'article
Simply beautiful
The word of
REC architecture, Architect
Interview"In all projects, I attach great importance to having a very strong link with what is present in the context, whether that be patterns, moulded elements, materials, roof slopes, specific volumetry and so on. I would not build in the same way in Toulouse as I would in Nantes or Paris. In this contextual approach, terracotta in Toulouse was therefore a clear choice. For this housing cluster, I observed the Toulousian houses, which are low and long, with a fairly regular rhythm of windows in pink brick. I was inspired by these, and I evolved the idea towards a more contemporary architectural concept by providing large bays and terraces. From the beginning of the contest I wanted to work with terracotta, in a process of anchoring the project in its region as well as using local materials. I immediately contacted the Terreal team, as we are only three miles or so from the Colomier plant, which will have manufactured some 80% of the raw materials for the project (major structures, roofs, façades, pedestrian paths). The authenticity of the terracotta allowed me to carry out a project that clearly affirms its identity. You feel that you’re in Toulouse. It’s a universal material that paves the way for modern architecture. My next challenge is to use it on a wooden frame!"
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Year of delivery
2022
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Location
Toulouse France
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Architect / signatory
REC architecture
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Project owner
Conseil Départemental Haute Garonne
-
Installation company
Sol façade
-
Photograph
Kévin Dolmaire photographe
-
Product name
Brick-Slip
-
Product form
Standard
-
Epidermis texture
Through body colour, Poncé, Sanded
-
Surface appearance
Shaded natural
-
Color
Smooth stone colour, sanded stone colour, pumiced stone colour
-
Work
New