Published on December 8, 2020 – Updated on January 15, 2021

The groupement Sérendicité, which constructed around 50,000 m2 of buildings at the Aubervilliers site, based their project design on three concepts, which aim to ensure that the urban layout can be adapted over time, and to make the campus sustainable and easy to use. The Campus buildings are positioned to the north and the south of the "Grand équipement documentaire" Library (GED) building, designed by Elizabeth de Portzamparc, which forms the centre point around which the rest of the site is arranged.

Based on the public procurement contract, the winning consortium designed the project according to the following principles:

  • to create a 21st century campus that epitomises the international outreach of research in social sciences and humanities, while playing an active role in local development;
  • to offer the best possible working conditions and the most effective documentation and research tools;
  • to promote the use of emerging solutions and innovative concepts in the environmental, social and digital fields;
  • to facilitate interactions between educational institutions, research units, professor-researchers, researchers, administrative staff and students;
  • to forge links between campus users and the general public;
  • to adapt the project to the "Grand équipement documentaire" Library (GED), designed by Elizabeth de Portzamparc, which forms the centre point around which the rest of the site is arranged.

The partnership contract

  • Coordination: Agence TER
  • Architects: Jean-Baptiste Lacoudre architectures, Brunet-Saunier architecture, Antonini-Darmon, K-Architectures and Jean-Christophe Quinton architect
  • Design consultants: WSP, OASIIS, Quidort, Betip
  • Funding: Société Générale, Bayerische Landesbank
  • Construction work: VINCI Construction France (GTM Bâtiment and BATEG subsidiaries)
  • Operation, maintenance, services: ENGIE Cofely

HOW THE CAMPUS IS ORGANISED

The consortium based their project design on three concepts, which aim to ensure that the urban layout can be adapted over time, and make the campus sustainable and easy to use.

  • The campus park links the various parts of the site together. The park was created by fertilising the previously impermeable, polluted land. It now offers a large green space where the vegetation in the surrounding streets merges with the campus landscape: the Jardin des Civilisations.
  • The Cours des Humanités is the walkway through the campus from North to South. It forms the backbone of the site, linking the various buildings and institutions on the campus.
  • Throughout the site, the ground floor of the buildings is the same height - 4.5 metres - creating unity between the lobbies of the various institutions and connected buildings that are open to students and people who are interested in the campus’ activities. This opens up the lower floor of the buildings and creates an impression of space both visually and physically.

This permeability between the campus and the town is further enhanced by the shallow green channels (bioswales) chosen by the groupement Sérendicité to surround the site, which create visual continuity between the campus and the public space surrounding it.

DISTRIBUTION OF BUILDINGS

The Campus buildings are positioned to the north and south of the GED, with the Cours des Humanités linking the whole site together.

As it travels south, this central avenue moves slightly to the East. It then connects with the pedestrian area that the town has created on rue Waldeck-Rochet, providing easy access between the EHESS building (designed by Pierre-Louis Faloci and built by the Région Ile-de-France) and the rest of the campus.

Island 1: a building that hosts research units, including dedicated areas for the CNRS, ENC, EHPE and the Université Paris 8. The ground-floor base for this building houses the student restaurant managed by CROUS de Paris, the ENC’s archeology laboratory and 5 rooms seating between 25 and 50 people. Nearby, the Cultural and Associative centre is devoted to student initiatives. This island also includes a student residence.

Island 2: to the south of the GED, the INED headquarters, the Scientific Incubator and the EPCC headquarters are housed in the same building.

Island 3: a building that hosts research units from the Université Paris 1, Université Paris 3 and Université Paris 13, as well as a few EHESS units. The ground floor comprises 7 rooms seating between 25 and 50 people, as well as the socio-medical centre and union offices, which can be accessed via a separate entrance from rue des Fillettes. Within the same island, further south, is the Researchers' residence, the ground floor of which is occupied by the Faculty club and Conference centre. A brasserie is planned on the corner of avenue de la Métallurgie and rue Waldeck-Rochet.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, A PRIORITY FOR THE PROJECT

The project focuses on finding the most appropriate solution for energy performance, water management, waste management, sound-proofing, health and safety requirements, etc. The campus attaches great importance to green spaces, in accordance with the town’s wishes, thus contributing to the environmental quality of the surrounding district and promoting biodiversity in the southern portion of the La Plaine area. Bioswales, which are a reservoir for biodiversity, are widely encouraged. In addition, around 5,000 m2 of plant-covered roofs are planned. Solar energy will provide over 40% of the hot water required by the Researchers' residence and the CROUS and INED restaurants.

Public transport access to the campus (metro, tram, RER, bus) is a considerable advantage, and is constantly improving. The Campus has 380 parking spaces for bicycles.


 

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