Pierre and Colette Soulages Primary School by NAS Architecture

What was once an extension of the Montpellier Conservatory of Music now serves as a place of learning. Acquired by the Ursulines in 1679, the building complex has undergone numerous changes and expansions since then. The Pierre and Colette Soulages Primary School is the result of a painstaking renovation process and archaeological assessment. 

Large aluminium windows ensure light-filled classrooms. © Severin Malaud 

The central idea behind the renovation was a subtractive approach. Historically significant elements were preserved, while less valuable ones were removed. This created the patio, which now serves as the centrepiece of the school and reveals the former courtyard of the Hôtel de Brissac, while also bringing daylight into the classrooms. The mezzanine floors from the 1990s were removed to restore the original room heights and sightlines. Particular care was taken with the chapel, a 19th-century neo-Gothic building that had undergone significant alterations. After removing later additions, the original volume was restored. The former chapel now serves as a multifunctional activity room. 

Wide corridors serve as meeting places. © Severin Malaud 

The garden-side galleries, dating back to the 1980s, feature cast iron columns, brick vaults and metal-framed floors. They now provide shaded outdoor work areas, which are ideal for Montpellier's Mediterranean climate. NAS Architecture has approached the interior of the school with restraint. Old layers of plaster have been stripped from the walls to reveal the masonry beneath. Large aluminium windows provide light-filled classrooms with views of the city centre. This project demonstrates that respectful treatment of existing structures can meet contemporary design requirements. It celebrates old structures and demonstrates that new is not necessarily better.