Bonifacio, France
Located in the heart of the citadel of Bonifacio, the Montlaur Nursery designed by Buzzo Spinelli Architecture is part of the military, geological, and sedimentary heritage of the city.
Bordered by walls, walkways, and fortifications, this limestone “plateau” welcomes today a new layer to its history.
The former Montlaur military district is no exception and has just opened up to its conversion. Three limestone windmills are erect in the landscape.
With these Genoese towers, the physical mighty strength is emphasized.
The symbol of the cloister stands out and with its quadrilateral shape it shelters in its lair an interior garden bordered by galleries.
Lime concrete, an experimental material, refers to the identity of the citadel and its ramparts.
Like Roman concrete, without cement or reinforcement, it perpetuates the phenomenon of geological stratification.
The tight and artisanal ramming reminds us of the roughness and horizontal beds of the limestone cliff.
The composition of the concretes was tested thoroughly, prototyped, and adjusted in order to get the right performance and aesthetic.
The final result integrates the limestone aggregates of the site and the lime binder, which constitutes the DNA of the city and was formerly made in the lime kilns of the Bonifacian countryside.
The Montlaur daycare creates a powerful physical and chromatic relationship with the site on which it is anchored.
The site is like a territory of experimentation with the tools used, the techniques implemented, and the coordination between masons, engineers, and even lime specialists.
Proven ancestral applications, coupled with a scientific approach were at the heart of the manufacturing strategy.
Rammed lime concrete in wood formwork, Genoa slate roofing, and even Laricio Pine woodwork (endemic Corsican pine) feature the short chain and the Genoese history of the city.
Project: Montlaur Nursery
Architects: Buzzo Spinelli Architecture
Lead Architects: Isabelle Buzzo and Jean-Philippe Spinelli
Structural Engineers: Batiserf, ISB
MEP Engineers: B52
Photographs: Aldo Amoretti
