Brenac & Gonzalez & Associes builds Les Fabriques School complex
Located in the northern districts of Marseille, France, Les Fabriques is a school complex by Brenac & Gonzalez & Associés designed as a compact, climate-responsive structure built from solid stone. Positioned on a constrained plot within the Littorale urban development zone, the project integrates a nursery school and an elementary school, each with dedicated reception areas, circulation routes, and naturally lit and ventilated classrooms.
The design adopts a vertical strategy that consolidates program elements in order to free ground space for the preschool playground. Additional outdoor areas for the elementary school, like playgrounds, gardens, and educational terraces, are arranged in a stepped configuration rising to the roof. At the request of the City of Marseille, the rooftop accommodates a sports facility that includes half a basketball court, an athletics track, and a tensile mesh structure reminiscent of a catamaran sail. This upper-level program extends the building’s public role by serving as a neighborhood gathering space outside school hours.
stone volumes form the school’s compact urban massing | all images by Sergio Grazia unless stated otherwise
Thick Stone facade and Terraced Volumes Form School Landscape
BGA’s design team defines the complex as a ‘landscape building,’ composed of interlocking mineral volumes that follow the site’s topography. The massing generates sheltered interstitial spaces used as open-air classrooms, performance areas, and gardens. These spaces contribute to climatic comfort while supporting biodiversity, including bird habitats. The overall morphology responds to local environmental conditions, like strong mistral winds, high solar exposure, and recurrent heatwaves, by creating a sequence of protected, navigable zones throughout the school.
The building envelope is constructed from solid stone sourced from the Beaulieu quarry. Blocks measuring 20 to 45 cm thick provide thermal inertia and long-term durability. Deep overhangs and the stone’s material density moderate heat gain, stabilizing interior temperatures across classrooms and corridors. Stone and concrete are used together as a hybrid structural system, balancing mass with structural efficiency.
tiered outdoor terraces connect learning spaces across levels
Daily Function and Public Access organize School’s Spatial layout
Attention to daily use is reflected in design details such as a continuous line of coat hooks inspired by Osvaldo Cavandoli, which introduces a clear and legible orientation device for children. Circulation is organized to support calm movement and supervision within the school, addressing both functional and safety requirements in this part of the city. Brenac & Gonzalez & Associes’ project was carried out in close coordination with Euroméditerranée and the City of Marseille, who supported program adjustments, including the integration of the rooftop sports facility, and facilitated experimentation with construction methods. The building also participates in the city’s ‘À nous les toits’ initiative, allowing use by local associations and residents outside school hours.
Les Fabriques demonstrates how solid stone construction, compact massing, and tiered outdoor spaces can be combined to achieve climatic resilience within dense urban conditions. The project establishes a protective and adaptable environment for education while contributing a durable architectural presence to Marseille’s northern districts.
deep overhangs in solid stone provide passive solar protection
the preschool playground occupies the site’s open central area