The University of Paris-Descartes wishes to replace its two IUT amphitheaters that stand in the interior courtyard of 143, avenue de Versailles, in the 16th arrondissement. The physical location of the two buildings, constructed in the heart of an urban islet, and resting atop the university parking lots, confronted Atelier Zündel & Cristea with a complex exercise in conceiving and planning their operation. They decided the new edifice should faithfully superimpose itself over the layout of the existing parking lot, while clearing around itself a smooth space, manageable and comprehensible by its users. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Vertically, a reduction in the height of the amphitheaters would contribute to an improved perception of their whole. Economizing the costs of elevators, rendering the areas compact and dense, without negatively affecting the building’s functioning, moreover bringing each building’s functions to a level in correspondence with their usage, are ethical acts of architecture.
