Ecole du Vieux Bourg by Plò Architectes: A Sensitive Rehabilitation of Heritage for Contemporary Education

Ecole du Vieux Bourg, redesigned by Plò architectes, stands as a thoughtful example of educational architecture, heritage rehabilitation, and climate-responsive design in the historic center of Cagnes-sur-Mer, France. Completed in 2024, the 700 m² project merges an existing school structure with the adjacent 19th-century Maison Blacas, demonstrating how adaptive reuse can elevate learning environments while preserving architectural memory.

Plò architectes, known for their contextual work across Provence, specialize in transforming deteriorated historical buildings and public spaces. Their approach emphasizes how traditional typologies, when carefully renewed, can meaningfully address evolving ecological and climatic challenges.

A Unified Campus Through Sensitive Spatial Integration

The project’s central ambition is to reinvigorate the Vieux Bourg school by creating a cohesive, accessible, and inviting campus. The architects aligned floor levels across both buildings, optimized vertical circulation, and introduced universal accessibility throughout the complex.

A Courtyard as the Social Heart

At the center, a landscaped courtyard organizes the school’s shared functions: the dining hall, library, and multipurpose room. This outdoor space extends naturally into a garden, strengthening continuity between interior and exterior environments while maintaining the original unity of the historic ensemble.

Inside, Plò architectes maximized the site’s spatial and climatic qualities. A former vaulted cellar now serves as a warm and atmospheric school library, while classrooms are expanded with large windows that frame serene views of the Mediterranean landscape, enhancing the learning experience.

Crafting Warm Interiors Through Material Reuse

A defining aspect of the project is the creative use of on-site recovered materials, which enriches the school with tactile, storied surfaces while significantly reducing environmental impact. The architects repurposed:

• Brick cladding tiles
• Cement tiles transformed into wall ceramics
• Antique millstones reused as tables
• Salvaged window sills reimagined as stair steps

These elements reinforce the school’s identity as a place where heritage is not simply preserved, it's actively reinterpreted for future generations.

Eco-Responsible Construction Rooted in Local Materials

Responding to the Mediterranean climate, the design prioritizes summer thermal comfort over heavy winter insulation. Instead of conventional external insulation systems, the team applied hemp-lime plaster, a breathable and bio-sourced material that improves indoor comfort while respecting the building’s historic walls.

Local and natural materials define the building’s renewed character: terracotta floors, wood-fiber ceilings, and minimally processed finishes create a warm, durable, and regionally grounded palette. These choices reflect Plò architectes’ commitment to low-carbon construction, bioclimatic thinking, and circular material strategies.

A Contemporary Vision for Heritage Schools

Ecole du Vieux Bourg stands as a model for sustainable school renovation, proving that educational spaces can be simultaneously environmentally conscious, historically rooted, and architecturally inspiring. Through careful integration of old and new, Plò architectes breathe new life into a neglected heritage site while meeting the evolving needs of students, teachers, and the broader community.

All photographs are works of Florence Vesval