Modulation as a tool. Lycée Français Jules Supervielle by Rafael Lorente

Description of project by Rafael Lorente

The organization of the complex

The property, owned by the French Embassy, is a block near the Puerto del Buceo, on the Rambla Armenia and Miguel Grau, Paiva and Riveros streets, to the west and east respectively. It is 7.000 m² in surface and has a steep slope on Miguel Grau street and the Armenian Rambla. Its exceptional location on the Rambla of Montevideo is added to the panoramic views overlooking the Puerto del Buceo and the maritime horizon. The project is proposed as a single block, with an east-west direction on the southern limit of the property, which groups the four levels of education in five different floors. It is complemented with a low volume, of a single level, that groups the multipurpose room and the lunch room on Miguel Grau Street, preserving its scale and neighborhood character. The total of the constructed area is 10.000 m².

The proposed project enables:

· A compact building with the consequent economic, constructive and functional advantages.
· The lowest rate of land use (38%) to generate the maximum number of courtyards and open-air areas.
· A flexible organizational structure, capable of adapting to future changes in the pedagogical modalities, based on a strict modulation and adequate concentration of service areas (toilets and stairs).
· The maximum number of classrooms facing north (44) or otherwise east-west (4).
· A simple and easily understandable circulatory structure that reduces the movements of students.
· The creation of appropriate microclimates in outdoor spaces protected from the prevailing winds.
· The highest environmental quality through the generation of open patios of appropriate dimensions, the strong presence of green, adapting sun exposure and the possibility of enjoying excellent views towards the coast from the south-facing premises.
· A strict and rational use of the topographic characteristics of the plot through the succession of terraces that follow the curves of existing levels.
· A unitary image, with a strong identity in relation to the city, as a symbol of French education in Uruguay.
· The enhancement of the premises of collective uses, multipurpose room and dining room, in a prominent position and arranged in a single volume, allowing spatial and functional integration with the neighborhood. 
· The possibility of growth in the upper floor with 5 classrooms of 50 m² each.