The renovation and extension of the Pierre de Coubertin High School, originally built in 1965, is an ambitious transformation project carried out as part of the French Recovery Plan (Plan de Relance), aimed at modernizing outdated educational spaces.
Two construction sites are being managed in an occupied setting to renovate and expand this aging and undersized school, which no longer meets the needs of its growing student population. A major focus is the development of a new educational hub dedicated to aeronautics—which will be completed first.
The renovation and expansion aim to upgrade the school’s infrastructure and provide appropriate facilities for the aeronautics program. This specialized track will cover nearly 3,045 m² and accommodate 270 students. All buildings—including dining areas, dormitories, common spaces, and a hangar (which will house various sections of an Airbus fuselage)—have been completely reimagined by the architectural teams at AIA Life Designers.
Key design objectives included; showcasing the high-level training activities of the aeronautics sector through architectural transparency, creating openness to the surrounding region and sharing of facilities (such as the multipurpose hall, dining services, and gyms), providing social spaces that enhance well-being in learning environments. Architecture plays a key role in achieving this goal by offering areas for quiet study, group work, or simply taking a break. To prevent future obsolescence, flexible, modular spaces have been designed to adapt to current and future needs.
This extensive site redevelopment presents an opportunity to upgrade the school’s educational hubs and propose a major landscape design strategy. Outside, a kind of “career crossroads” symbolically connects the different educational tracks. Together with the main hall, they form the heart of the school.
The site layout is based on a bioclimatic approach: orientation and compactness contribute to optimal natural lighting, reduced overheating, and efficient use of materials.
This entire project is being developed through an exemplary environmental quality approach, with a strong focus on energy sobriety and decarbonization. This includes the use of bio-based materials, reuse of existing components, and implementation of circular economy principles on-site.
Project Owner
Île-de-France Region
Project Management Team
Architect : AIA Life Designers
Engineering (all trades + cost management) : AIA Ingénierie
Environmental Expertise : AIA Environnement
Kitchen Systems : BEGC
Acoustics : Marshall Day Acoustic
Decontamination, deconstruction, recycling : STM
Aeronautics Expertise : AFPI
Program
Extension / restructuring for 1,450 general education places + 700 vocational training places across 9 specializations
Surface Area
Restructuring : 11,211 m² net floor area
Extension (including avionics hangar) : 9,720 m² net floor area
Cost
€49.2 million (excl. VAT) – including €6.11 million (excl. VAT) for the hangar
Timeline
Project awarded : December 2021
Delivery : Aeronautics hall – July 2024, Full project – 2029
Photographs © Guillaume Satre