French studio SAM Architecture has created the Yvonne Kerzrého School Complex in Nanterre, France, arranging classrooms around cascading terraces and courtyards that extend learning outdoors.

The 4,856-square-metre building accommodates a nursery, primary school, after-school care centre, media library and cafeteria, all within a single facility in Paris's rapidly developing Les Groues district.

According to the architect, it was conceived as both a "village at the child's scale" and a civic landmark for the emerging neighbourhood.

Looking to maximise outdoor space, SAM Architecture arranged Yvonne Kerzrého School Complex as a series of staggered volumes that create a network of terraces, courtyards and circulation routes across each level, all of which connect directly to classrooms.

"We wanted to create a school that would be experienced more as a place to explore than as a closed institution," the studio told Dezeen.

The stepped form was developed to preserve as much ground-level space as possible while ensuring every floor has direct access to outdoor areas and that educational activities and playtime can spill outdoors.

"In a dense urban environment, outdoor space is a valuable resource," the studio said.

"Rather than concentrating it exclusively at ground level, we chose to distribute it throughout the building."

At the heart of the school is a multi-storey atrium topped by a butterfly-shaped roof that draws daylight and natural ventilation into the building.

The atrium features a broad staircase with stepped seating for assemblies, performances and informal gatherings, while circulation walkways and balconies extend around the space, connecting the surrounding levels.

"We believe that circulation spaces can become learning environments in their own right," said SAM Architecture.

"The staircase, bleachers, semi-circular seating areas and small gathering spaces distributed throughout the building allow pupils to meet, exchange ideas, work together or simply observe the life of the school."

The architects said these shared spaces are intended to encourage encounters between pupils of different age groups, reinforcing the idea of the school as a small community rather than a series of isolated classrooms.

Inside Yvonne Kerzrého School Complex, exposed timber surfaces are paired with concrete structural elements, creating what the architects describe as "a balance between durability and carbon reduction."

"We sought to use each material where it performs best," the studio said.

"Timber is employed in protected areas where it can age gracefully, while concrete is reserved for situations requiring greater robustness."

Parts of the structure and technical systems were left exposed throughout the building, allowing children to better understand how the school is constructed and functions.

The stepped form culminates in a rooftop terrace shaded by photovoltaic canopies and an open-air theatre positioned beneath the butterfly-shaped roof.

Founded in 2007 by Stefan Matthys and Boris Schneider, SAM Architecture is a Paris-based practice now led by Schneider and Lucas Eydoux. The studio works across public buildings, housing and workplace projects.

Other French schools recently featured on Dezeen include Samuel Paty School in Béziers, which features gabled concrete forms around a planted courtyard, and Dominique Frelaut School in Paris, which comprises a series of stepped volumes topped by green terraces.

The photography is by Salem Mostefaoui.