Figurr’s concept is adapted for the Phares de Rimouski school board.  The idea is to set up classrooms all around the library so that the students can be facing it, which allows for greater flexibility in terms of movement and provides a physical space adapted to learning for younger children.  Furthermore, the link between the child, agriculture and his/her active participation in the community gave us the idea to conceptualise a school where these values would be portrayed. Consequently, a vegetable garden would be built for each of the classes providing the opportunity for the children to learn the fundamentals of food.

The openness to diversity and sensitivity to the environment is slowly replacing the learning principles where children remain passive learners. The project not only considers today’s needs but is also created to facilitate future changes and most importantly to accompany the child in exploration and learning. The idea is also to encourage the children to claim their environment spontaneously and creatively.

The built on a children’s scale building is quite simple, economical, easy to build, understand and use. Almost all the land’s surface area is available for outdoor activities. The roof is a large terrasse creating a bridge between the school yard and the pre-colonial woods. The stands and the gymnasium connect the interior of the building to the roof ensuring two access points towards the terrasse.

Permanent access to nature and the relationship with the landscape are its main fundamental values. It is within the spirit of respecting the environment that the building will be an ecological model.