The Library’s ‘hovering’ above the ground facade is made from ‘earth-like’ bulk-dyed architectonic concrete.

‘Future heart and social area of the Marne-la-Vallée university campus, the new central library has the significant advantage of being located on an outstanding site: the Ferme de la Haute Maison. Dating from the 17th century, this ‘historic’ site endows the building with a strategic role. Its identity does not just stem from the quality of the constructions: the surrounding moat, which extends into a water garden, and the central courtyard which becomes the main parvis, are two federating components of this site, generating a special emotion.
Positioned along the horizontal line of the existing gutters, the two parts of the building are marked and differentiated. The lower part (reception) recreates a frontality with the other part of the preserved Farm. Simple and rectilinear, it drops down towards the moat and becomes the support of the upper part (reading rooms). Suspended telluric volume, as though torn out of its natural element, it extends out on the garden side, pierced by projecting golden glass inclusions and patios which bring natural lighting from underneath.
Inside, calm and whiteness prevail. Plants here and there create spatial sequences and provide additional visual comfort to the landscape installed. Special attention is also paid to the environmental quality (HEQ approach), mainly regarding energy management.
Private and public spaces are clearly separated and marked out, allowing obvious management of the flows. The large functional entities can therefore be quickly identified by their morphology and their location.’

ARCHITECT: Agence Beckmann-N’Thépé, Paris, France. CLIENT: Marne-la-Vallée University. CLIENT ASSISTANCE: AURIS. LOCATION: Cité Descartes, Champs sur Marne, Marne-la-Vallée – 77, France. DESCRIPTION: Education. STATUS: completed. AREA: 8670 sqm. PROJECT MANAGER: Hélène Méhats. ARCHITECTS: Fabio Cummaudo, Wilfried Daufy, Anne-Catherine Dufros, Marc Durand, Nicolas Gaudard, Thamila Hamiti, David Malaval, David Tajchman, Frédéric Taupin. ASSISTANT ARCHITECTS: Amélie Authier, Maïté Dupont, Li Fang, Linna Lay, Laetitia Pignol. STRUCTURE + FLUIDS: COTEC. HEQ (HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY): Franck Boutté Consultant. LANDSCAPE DESIGNER: Emmanuelle Blanc. FACADE ENGINEER: VAN SANTEN. ECONOMIST: Sterling Quest Associates. ACOUSTICS: PEUTZ. FIRE SAFETY + FIRE SAFETY SYSTEM COORDINATOR: Prévention Consultants. QUALITY AND TECHNICAL BUILDING CONTROL: QUALICONSULT. HEALTH AND SAFETY COORDINATOR: Ouest Coordination. BUILDING SUPERVISOR AND COORDINATOR: IPCS DATE: 2012. No part of this web site may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of Morfae and the copyright owner.