Institut Mines-Télécom. Paris-Saclay
Context:
The master plan proposes streets, squares and boulevards with the poetic integration of landscape and ecology. It refers to the legacy of the great tradition of educational institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge & Harvard, with their lawns, quadrangles, cloisters and courtyards. We have explored the interpretation of this architectural legacy in the making of a new 21st Century university building for l'Institut Mines Telecom, Telecom Paristech and Telecom Sud-Paris.
Distinct Enclosure: Distinct Place
In order to adequately address the Place de Metro and to give the building a strong presence in this new public space, we have compressed the core educational uses into a compact form to make a strong urban presence addressing the square.
By building lightly on the ground, we release space on the site to make a generous quadrangle, a ‘green room’, within the tradition of Oxford, Cambridge and Harvard Universities.
The form and singularity of the quadrangle and of the total block is held by the research offices, doctorates rooms, and directors offices which hover above a looser more fluid series of inside and outside spaces below.
Six Spaces
The building is organised around six spaces. Five of these are courtyards, one of which is internal, one of which is semi-covered. The sixth space is that of the generous quadrangle, with ‘real ground’ in which we can make a new landscape, a large ‘garden room’.
The community of scholars, professors, and directors circulate around this rich series of interlocking,overlapping halls, courts and spaces.
COLLABORATORS
Local Architect: Vigneu Zilio Architectes
Structural Engineer: OTEIS
Civil/ Thermal/ M&E/ HVAC/ Fire: OTEIS
Landscape Studio: Atelier MOABI
Quantity Surveyor: Alayrac
Environmental Engineer: Chapman BDSP
Environmental Certification: Green Affair
Acoustic Engineer: Gamba
Kitchen Consultant: EFC
Signage: Locomotion
