Innovative Simone Veil School in Seine-Saint-Denis Merges Learning with Joy Through Architectural Design

The Simone Veil School in Tremblay-en-France, Seine-Saint-Denis, opened in September 2025 as an innovative educational facility designed by architects Gaëtan Le Penhuel and his associates. The project received the prestigious Équerre d'Argent 2025 architectural award. The school features flexible learning spaces with movable partitions that allow eight ground-floor classrooms to be combined into a single area. Traditional corridors were eliminated in favor of oversized circulation spaces that double as activity zones, complete with alcoves containing furniture, toys, and books. A notable indoor sports hall with a basketball court is located on the roof and accessible outside school hours. The building uses regional materials including load-bearing stone from Toulouse quarries and wood structures with raw earth partitions. The design process involved collaboration between the Ministry of Education, local officials, and teachers, inspired partly by 1970s educational approaches emphasizing movement freedom. The school accommodates 240 students and includes a dedicated glass-walled area near the entrance for parent-teacher meetings. Architectural agency Le Penhuel has previously designed approximately fifteen educational buildings.