University of Chicago Center in Paris
Paris, France
To Be Completed in 2022
30,000 SF
The Center in Paris creates a new hub for scholarship and cultural exchange in Paris’ rapidly developing 13th arrondissement. The academic center is a compact vertical campus that brings vitality to the neighborhood with its mix of classrooms, collaborative spaces, and outdoor terraces.
The facade notably features a rhythm of vertical “stone sticks”, which vary in density to optimize energy performance, privacy, and views. These stone elements also provide a visual connection to local Parisian Gothic architecture as well as to the Neo-Gothic style of the University’s Chicago campus.
Concept design completed with Studio Gang (provided rendered elevation drawings and select floor plans, vignettes, and diagrams).
The academic campus is connected to a mixed-use residential building, and together they wrap around a unifying central courtyard. A large textile-based public artwork creates visual interest and cohesion between the two buildings.
The central staircase acts like a vertical campus quad, connecting spaces both physically and visually.
The operable atrium facade is designed to minimize heating and cooling requirements.