Saint-Louis Kindergarten by Janez Nguyen Architects + Linia A&U: Innovative Prefabricated Wooden Design in Paris

Located in the historic 10th district of Paris, the Saint-Louis Kindergarten designed by Janez Nguyen Architects in collaboration with Linia A&U occupies a 350 m² plot within the Saint-Louis Hospital grounds. Completed in 2021, this thoughtfully conceived project addresses both urban heritage integration and contemporary educational architecture, providing a vibrant, sustainable environment for 48 cribs.

Prefabricated, Dismountable Construction

Responding to the City of Paris’s request for a dismountable building, the architects employed dry construction techniques, utilizing prefabricated wooden structures and modular assemblies. This method allows future deconstruction and relocation while minimizing environmental impact.

Contextual Design and Urban Integration

The building responds to a curved road and an adjacent garden, naturally defining its form. Its exterior is characterized by three distinctive faces:

1. Public-Facing Zinc Façade: Pre-weathered zinc cladding integrates the building within its historic Parisian context. Perforated patterns reference the windows of the nearby Saint-Louis Chapel. Double-height wooden-framed windows reinterpret the scale and rhythm of surrounding architecture.
2. Garden-Facing Transparent Façade: Opening toward a shared garden, this side emphasizes natural light, permeability, and direct connection to the outdoors. Timber glulam posts and frame modules are exposed, highlighting sustainable materiality. A recessed first-floor terrace offers partially covered outdoor space.
3. Green Roof Garden: Echoing the hospital’s preexisting garden, the roof enhances biodiversity, supports water retention, and provides habitat for birds and insects.

Spatial Organization

A central indoor street organizes the kindergarten, aligning with the main access and connecting two floors. This wide corridor supports flexible educational activities, while providing functional separation: administrative and staff areas lie toward the zinc façade, whereas child-centered spaces open directly onto the garden. Upstairs, the corridor extends access to the terrace, reinforcing indoor-outdoor continuity.

Design Challenges and Solutions

Prefabricated wooden kindergarten in Paris combines heritage-sensitive design, sustainable construction, green roof, and child-centered spaces with modular flexibility.Executing this project required navigating strict heritage regulations, limited site space, and ongoing hospital operations. The architects successfully balanced historic preservation, sustainability, and modern prefabrication techniques, resulting in a kindergarten that is flexible, environmentally responsible, and contextually sensitive.

All photographs are works of  Benoit Florençon + TECHNOGRAPHE