Recreation Center Morel De Vindé / SCHÉMAA

Architects: SCHÉMAA
Area: 350 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: David Foessel
Manufacturers: Technal, Assa Abloy, Saint-Gobain, ACOPLAN, EPSILON, Gerflor, Piveteau bois, VMZINC
Design Team: Maria Enescu, Simon El Hage
Client: City of La Celle-Saint-Cloud
City: La Celle-Saint-Cloud
Country: France

The Recreation Center Morel de Vindé by SCHÉMAA is a modest yet thoughtfully conceived addition to the Morel de Vindé school complex in La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France. Covering 350 square meters, the timber-framed structure sits gracefully against a planted embankment at the edge of the existing playground. Its orientation and placement were carefully designed to preserve sunlight for nearby classrooms, maintain open views toward the courtyard, and establish a fluid connection between the gymnasium and new recreational spaces. The project merges with the surrounding landscape rather than interrupting it, transforming the once-defined boundary between schoolyard and street into an integral part of the educational ensemble. The design emphasizes modularity, daylight, and natural ventilation, creating flexible interiors that can adapt to varied activities while maintaining a strong visual and environmental relationship with the site’s natural elements.

In La Celle-Saint-Cloud, SCHÉMAA’s design for the Recreation Center Morel de Vindé presents a discreet yet confident architectural gesture that reinforces the unity of the Morel de Vindé school group. The project’s position along a planted embankment not only anchors it within the existing topography but also establishes a meaningful dialogue between built form and landscape. Rather than imposing on its surroundings, the new center is absorbed into them, allowing the embankment to shift from a peripheral barrier into a vital component of the campus composition.

Recreation center morel de vindé / schémaa — Recreation Center Morel de Vindé / SCHÉMAA 34

The architects chose to position the new building perpendicular to the existing gymnasium, an arrangement that shapes the spatial rhythm of the school complex. This orientation forms a shared hall connecting the gymnasium and the recreation center, creating a cohesive flow across the site. By aligning the new construction with the contours of the terrain, the design protects sunlight access to the classrooms while preserving an open visual axis from the school’s entrance through to the courtyard.

The integration of the project into the planted embankment is central to its architectural intent. The landscape no longer serves merely as a backdrop but becomes an active participant in the spatial experience. The center’s insertion into this natural rise allows the structure to appear both grounded and lightweight, blurring distinctions between architecture and terrain. This approach strengthens the sense of continuity within the site and emphasizes SCHÉMAA’s sensitivity to ecological and visual harmony.

Inside, the recreation center prioritizes flexibility and adaptability. The activity rooms open broadly toward the playground, extending the sense of play and interaction between interior and exterior spaces. A removable acoustic partition allows two rooms to merge into a single large hall, supporting a variety of educational and social uses. This adaptability underlines the architects’ commitment to designing spaces that evolve with the needs of their users rather than constraining them.

Natural light and ventilation are integral to the project’s environmental strategy. The building’s double East–West orientation allows each activity space to benefit from varying light conditions throughout the day. Roof sheds open toward the embankment, framing views of the trees and the sky while enabling cross-ventilation. This interplay of light and openness creates a sequence of atmospheres that shift gently with the movement of the sun, enhancing the educational environment with subtle sensory richness.

The architectural expression of the center is rooted in rationality and restraint. Timber framing and cladding define the façades with a measured rhythm, aligning with the existing structures of the school complex while introducing a contemporary lightness. The natural material palette underscores the building’s environmental alignment and its connection to the wooded context. This simplicity of construction reinforces durability and ease of maintenance, ensuring longevity without visual dominance.

Through its careful positioning, clear structural language, and sensitive response to the landscape, SCHÉMAA’s Recreation Center Morel de Vindé achieves an understated yet profound impact. It is not merely an addition to a school campus but a thoughtful integration of learning, nature, and community. By merging architecture and terrain, the project embodies a quiet intelligence—an architecture that supports daily life with grace, light, and adaptability.