Crédit perspectives : Bureau 504
Photos: 11h45
iXcampus, a technology and university campus, serves as a crossroads between the worlds of business, research and higher education. By 2025, it plans to accommodate more students and workers. The project involves the construction of new buildings as well as the extension of existing structures. More specifically, SAME is responsible for the extensions to the building designed by Jean Prouvé and René Coulon, and for the construction of the ‘Pavillon Est’, a higher education school of design. Both of the studio’s projects incorporate sustainable and environmentally-friendly construction systems: timber for the extensions and solid stone for the design school.
The site benefits from a prime location, close to the Saint-Germain-en-Laye national forest, rail and road networks, the town centre and the new T13 tram line. It fosters a dialogue between the suburban fabric, rich vegetation and a remarkable landscape and architectural heritage. It appeared essential not to compromise the identity of the park whilst fostering interactions between the various ‘building-objects’ on the site, including the Château Saint-Léger (1886), restored by Dominique Perrault in 1991, and the building co-designed by Jean Prouvé and René Coulon in 1952. The idea of the park becomes even more evident through the landscaping. The planting scheme reintroduces a romantic aesthetic, whilst spaces for social interaction take shape in various forms of outdoor areas.
Although the architectural interventions seem disparate, each with its own distinct identity, our aim is for them to share certain common objectives. The compact, recognisable form of the buildings and their facades, which open outwards, facilitate interaction between the architecture and the landscape. The grid-based design language, bio-based materials sourced from local supply chains, low-tech, prefabricated or dry construction methods, the neutrality of the interior spaces and the open-plan layout are design choices that ensure the flexibility, adaptability and sustainability of the architecture.
The extensions rest on the flat roofs of wings A and B and connect to the existing lower levels via their structure and vertical circulation systems. They blend seamlessly with the existing buildings, extending the geometry of the stone-clad pilasters. Recessed from the existing parapets, they have a light and delicate design to minimise the impact on the structures of wings A and B. The structure and joinery system are replicated and duplicated from the Prouvé and Coulon building’s framework, lending the structure a sense of slenderness. The use of pre-weathered timber softens the contrasting appearance of the existing façades and blends in with the densely wooded surroundings.
