Ecole Normale ENS Saclay

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In January 2014, the ENS Cachan announced that it has selected RPBW from five other shortlisted firms to develop a 64,000-square-meter building as part of its campus project at Paris Saclay. The building project is composed of 4 architectural units which border a park measuring over a hectare. This “extraordinary” garden acts as the vibrant center of the different surrounding buildings, which overlook the richness of the School and maintain the readability of the space. The entirely transparent south facade gives a view into the daily life of the school, housing areas such as the cafeteria, a restaurant, a reception and conference center, and research laboratories. The northern building, which resembles a bright indoor street, will be used for teaching and researching fundamental sciences for engineers, while the human and social sciences cluster is situated in the “satellite,” an area embodying a more rounded form.