PARIS.- The construction of the shared learning building (BEM) center in
École Polytechnique’s district has been completed. This singular building will accommodate classes from seven leading French engineering Institutions. The project was designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects (headmaster), OXO architects and DREAM.
The shared learning building (BEM) was built to the common ambition of 7 engineering schools, all located in École Polytechnique’s district, to pool their educational spaces in order to optimise, as part of a responsible approach to the use of resources, the space built and the room occupancy rate.
A building that encourages meetings, interactivity and innovative teaching methods: The building is able to host multidisciplinary inter-institutional projects. With a capacity of 1,470 students, it has a large 250-seat amphitheatre, three 80-seat amphitheatres and around fifty rooms spread over 3 floors. There are also spaces dedicated to innovative pedagogy such as “distance-learning rooms”, videoconferencing, collaborative working spaces and various “project rooms”.
Organised around a wide atrium that leads to more intimate spaces, the BEM leaves plenty of room for both discussion and concentration.
A unique architecture for a unifying project: Designed by Sou Fujimoto Architects (contractor), OXO architectes - Manal Rachdi, Nicolas Laisné architectes and DREAM - Dimitri Roussel, the BEM is a generous and unique space that blurs the boundaries between indoors and outdoors.
With a surface area of 10,000m², including a 1,000m² atrium open over 4 levels, its fluid volume is articulated between networks of footbridges, sets of staircases and large wooden tiers. All of this is achieved by combining urbanity and porosity to offer the seven Institutions a venue to match their ambitions.
The challenge of this architectural project was to create a building that would act as a catalyst, encouraging people to come together, while remaining consistent with the landscape in which it is integrated. Organised as an extension of the neighbouring park, nature remains at the heart of its design. Its large transparent façade, its interior vegetation and its openness to the surrounding landscape mean that it is fully integrated into the surrounding environment.
Finally, its origami staircases and roof, combined with its transparent spaces, allow the BEM to break with the traditional image of education with minimalism and poetry.
ÉCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE
École Polytechnique, also know n as L’X, is the leading French institution combining top-level research, academics, and innov ation at the cutting-edge of science and technology. I ts various undergraduate and graduate-lev el programs – Bachelor of Science, I ngénieur Polytechnicien (Master’s level program), Master’s, and PhD – are highly selective and promote a culture of excellence with a strong emphasis on science, anchored in humanist traditions. As a w idely internationalized university, École polytechnique offers a variety of international programs and attracts a grow ing number of foreign students and researchers from around the globe (currently 41% of students and 40% of faculty members). École polytechnique offers an exceptional education to prepare bright men and women to excel in top-lev el key positions and lead complex and innov ative projects w hich meet the challenges of 21st century society, all w hile maintaining a keen sense of their civ il and social responsibilities. With its 23 laboratories, 22 of which are joint research units w ith the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), École polytechnique Research Center explores the frontiers of interdisciplinary knowledge to provide major contributions to science, technology, and society. École polytechnique is a founding member of Institut Polytechnique de Paris.
