The Paris-Saclay campus within the boundaries of Greater Paris is a large-scale project that brings together a whole series of major universities and research institutions. Its implementation is associated with the development of a significant territory, including existing cities and settlements. The largest architectural firms, for example, OMA or So Fujimoto, are involved in the implementation of this idea.
Within the framework of this project, LAN architects implemented a student dormitory complex for 1082 people (900 housing units), one of the largest in the history of the country. It occupied block B (more precisely, sections B6, B7 and B8) of the Paris-Saclay campus, connecting urban development ("family" houses, public institutions, service infrastructure) with an area of educational buildings, sports facilities and student housing. The purpose of such a connection is to bring to naught the isolation from the environment, which is frequent for large university ensembles.
There are three rectangular buildings along the perimeter of the site, where 70% of housing for students is located, and a park has been created in the center, where five more buildings act as garden pavilions - smaller and round in plan. They are named "Muses" in honor of the ancient patrons of the arts and sciences, and therefore images of these deities with
Roman sarcophagus of the Muses from the Louvre. In this regard, one can recall the housing in the London Olympic Village with reliefs - copies of the Parthenon frieze.
While the outer buildings look austere, their facades with a rigid mesh of windows are made of mass-colored concrete of black and gray colors, then the round, park buildings are devoid of hierarchy, there is no main entrance or perspective. Thanks to this geometric solution, it was possible to experiment with layouts, dividing the bedroom and the living area. In addition, the round shape allowed for an overall reduction in the length of the outer walls, while increasing it for each apartment. The staircase and elevator node is located in the center, on each floor there are 14 rooms with an average area of 18.5 m2 each.
The outer buildings open onto the park with their glazed lobbies: in general, there is a lot of glass, wood and openings on the ground floor.
The total area of the complex is 14 603 m2, the budget is 40 million euros. Among the types of housing there are both studios grouped around clusters of public spaces and apartments for several students.
The landscape was handled by the Berlin bureau Topotek 1, and Clément Vergély Architectes also contributed to the project.
