Primary school Célestin Freinet, Dagana Senegal

Since 2004, within the framework of the REUNION-DAGANA association, the architects Nelly Breton, Olivier Fraisse (TERRENEUVE) and Philippe Delannoy have designed the school's architectural project and are responsible for its project management: feasibility studies, design of the overall master plan, phasing scenarios, bioclimatic principles, layout of outdoor spaces, production of detailed execution plans for each building. With the support of an on-site pilot to coordinate the businesses on a daily basis, the architects also monitored the completion of the school's works, according to a phasing corresponding to the available financial resources. Regular on-site missions, and constant exchanges with school users and local craftsmen in Dagana, have made it possible to adapt the design at very low costs, to local resources and know-how. The site was carried out without electricity or mechanized machinery.

As part of a global approach to sustainable development, construction is based on materials and know-how available locally. Several passive bioclimatic thermal regulation devices, simple to build and without special maintenance to ensure their sustainability have been developed:
- double walls for the exterior facades of the classrooms: the ventilated interior empty space makes it possible to delay the heating of the interior of the classrooms, taking advantage of the coolness of the night,
- covered galleries 3.00 m wide to shade the facades, and serve as "outdoor classes",

- cross ventilation of the rooms, thanks to openings distributed on either side of the classrooms,
- nightly over-ventilation by opening high windows, protected by grilles, allowing the freshness of the night to be restored in the morning,
- interior height of 3.50 m, which allows a cooler temperature in the lower part, the hot air rising naturally,
- ventilated flysheet above the classrooms: a sheet metal roof overhangs the slab of the roof terrace, the space between the two being ventilated to avoid radiation effects;
- patio planting, bringing freshness to the peripheral galleries.