Ecca collection

College André Maurois

One of the driving forces in French school design and redesign has been the disastrous fire at the College Edouard Pailleron in 1973.Built to a mid century pattern common to many schools throughout the country, it was of lightweight steel construction with no fire protection. The fire spread rapidly through voids and 20 people died of whom 16 were children.   There were more than 1,000 schools in the country built in a similar way, of which 57 used the exact same technique. These became known as Paillerons and were, quite rightly, slated for improvement or replacement.

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Moscow Hospital

Fire-resistant aluminium cladding from Aluwall System, in a rainbow of bright colours, lends a fittingly childish appeal to Moscow’s new and innovative Federal Research Centre for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology. Primary colours and their complementary partners characterise the exterior and interior finishes of the blocks comprising this cheerful-looking hospital complex, each of which has been assigned its own, distinctive function.

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Refurbishment Police Academy

Architect Leon Thier talks of the unexpected silence in the 25m-high atrium, the focal point and “new heart” of the recently refurbished Apeldoorn Policy Academy building in the central Netherlands.

Images courtesy of Thea van den Heuvel

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