Sciences Po, a campus in the heart of Paris

150 years after its foundation, Sciences Po has made the ambitious choice to invest in an exceptional location to create its new Paris campus. From a historic 17th-century site in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, an extraordinary place has been created, resolutely turned towards the 21st century, combining intelligence, heritage and modernity. An exemplary architectural conversion for a new center of excellence in the center of Paris.

By unraveling the thread of the project for the new Sciences Po campus in Paris, this work raises the issue of architectural conversion with regard to new uses. Formerly a 17th-century novitiate, an arms factory during the French Revolution, and the Artillery Museum, this exceptional historic site has taken on the challenge of hosting a forward-looking university campus in the heart of Paris, in a space redesigned by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte with real estate developer Sogelym Dixence.

In this project and this work, Atelier Franck Boutté, originally called upon to address the issues of the environment, ecological transition and energy strategy, played a somewhat special role, at the interface between designers and engineers, reflecting the DNA of our method.

The guiding principle of the project, which is incredibly consistent with the chosen site and the current context, was to integrate the ecological transition component while respecting the heritage and architectural style. All the conditions set by the program have been met, in terms of thermal and energy performance, both environmentally and from the point of view of climate value - numerous certifications have been obtained - but through sober interventions that perpetuate the intrinsic qualities and initial functioning of the buildings. L'Atelier convinced and brought together all the members of the team around this global strategy and this “effort-gain” approach.