BIG + OFF WIN THE COMPETITION TO DESIGN THE RESEARCH CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF JUSSIEU IN PARIS

BIG + Paris-based architects OFF, engineers Buro Happold, consultants Michel Forgue and environmental engineer Franck Boutte is the winning team to design the new 15.000 m2 research centre for Sorbonne’s Scientific university Universit Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris.

The new multidisciplinary research centre, Paris PARC, located between Jean Nouvel’s Institut du Monde Arabe and the open green park of the Jussieu Campus will become a significant addition to the campus, strengthening the international appeal and openness of the leading French University for Science and Medicine. The facility will bring together academic scholars and the business community, while re-connecting the university physically and visually with the city of Paris. The winning team was honored as the best design among proposals from MVRDV, Lipsky Rollet, Mario Cucinella and Peripherique.

Paris PARC is located in the visual axis of the Notre Dame Cathedral in a dense context of university buildings from different historical periods. BIG proposes a building geometry that adapts to the specific conditions of all adjoining sides, optimized for daylight, views and accessibility. The three-dimensional envelope retracts from the neighboring facades, opens up towards the square of Institut du Monde Arabe and the park, and folds into a publicly accessible rooftop landscape, resulting in an adapted sculptural building volume situated between the emblematic architectural monuments of the university.

“As a form of urban experiment the Paris PARC is the imprint of the pressures of its urban context. Wedged into a super dense context – in terms of space, public flows and architectural history – the PARC is conceived as a chain of reactions to the various external and internal forces acting upon it. Inflated to allow daylight and air to enter into the heart of the facility, compressed to ensure daylight and views for the neighboring classrooms and dormitories, lifted and decompressed to allow the public to enter from both plaza and park and finally tilted to reflect the spectacular view of the Paris skyline and the Notre Dame to the Parisians.” Bjarke Ingels, Founder, BIG.

A central canyon provides daylight and a visual connection between laboratories and offices. In the atrium a cascade of informal meeting spaces lead to the public rooftop terrace and faculty club. A public stair to the rooftop offers glimpses into the activities of the laboratories which are divided by transparent walls throughout the building to ensure visual connections between the working spaces. The upper levels have panoramic views towards the Notre Dame and the skyline of Paris.

“We propose a building that creates the optimum conditions for encounters and exchange among the academics and visitors of Paris PARC. Like a scientific incubator the new building will provide the physical environment for nurturing growth of cultures and sharing of ideas – through the internal mix of laboratories, research facilities and informal meeting spaces, and through a reunification with the public life of the city.”Andreas Klok Pedersen, Partner-in-Charge, BIG.

The Paris PARC becomes the interface between campus life and city life by reuniting the Jussieu Campus with the city of Paris. The iconic view of the Notre Dame Cathedral is brought into the daily life of the building through the large panoramic windows while the facade towards the entrance square is slightly tilted, hence, a mirrored image of the Cathedral becomes visible at eyelevel on the square, connecting the building to its iconic location.

BIG和巴黎建筑事务所OFF，工程师Buro Happold，顾问Michel Forgue，以及环境设计FranckBoutte合作设计巴黎索邦大学研究中心在竞赛中中标。

这个新的多学科研究中心距离让努维尔事务所设计的阿拉伯研究中心很近。这里以后将成为法国大学开放的国际形象，汇聚学术和商业人才并联系城市。参赛团队还有MVRDV, Lipsky Rollet, MarioCucinella 和 Peripherique.

这里临巴黎圣母院也较近，有着不同历史时期的大学建筑作为背景。大楼的几何形体都对周围环境做出回应，并争取日光，视野，还有可达度。临近阿拉伯研究中心的一侧，建筑立面朝后退，屋顶花园是公共的。

“这个研究中心是一个适应各种城市压力的实验类型。其背景复杂：空间，公共交通，历史问题都在这里交织。期望这个建筑内外收放自如。外张，让阳光和空气得以进入；内缩，确保日照和教室，宿舍的视线。开放，容纳市民广场和公园；倾斜，映射巴黎的天空与巴黎圣母院”Bjarke Ingels, BIG创始人

中庭确保实验室和办公室在白天的视觉联系。中庭非正式的交流空间衍生出公共舞动以及教员俱乐部。一个公共的楼梯到达屋顶，在这里能看见巴黎圣母院和巴黎天际线的全景。建筑墙壁为透明玻璃，以确保工作空间之间的视觉联系。

“我们让这个建筑能够最大限度的创造学者和游客之间的相遇和交流条件。新建筑就是一个科学孵化器，通过内部的实验室，研究室，非正式交流空间以及与城市公共生活的统一，去实现和培育文化，交流思想。”Andreas Klok Pedersen, BIG合伙人

这里是城市生活和校园生活的连接处，可以通过入口侧倾斜的全景幕墙饱览日常风景和巴黎圣母院胜景。

PARIS PARC FACTUAL INFORMATION PROJECT: Paris PARC TYPE: Competition CLIENT: UPMC University SIZE: 15.000 m2 LOCATION: Paris, France STATUS: 1. Prize

BIG Partners-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Andreas Klok Pedersen Project Leader: Daniel Sundlin Architect: Gabrielle Nadeau Team: Camille Crepin, Edouard Boisse, Tiina Liisa Juuti, Alexandre Carpentier

OFF Partners-in-Charge: Manal Rachdi, Tanguy Vermet, Ute Rinnebach Project Leader: Daniel Colin, Antonio Rovira Team: Akram Rachdi, Olfa Kamoon