Transformation of the Former School of Dentistry
into a Student Centre

Client

SRIA for Université de Bordeaux

Architect

Atelier Cambium + Deshoulières Jeanneau

Design team

AIA Ingénierie (structural engineering, MEP, HVAC, QS), AIA Environnement (environment), Viam Acoustique (sound engineering), Duplan Ingénierie (fire safety)

Image credits

[ATELIER] CAUMES
Ivan Mathie

Location

Bordeaux (33), France

Programme

Transformation of the former School of Dentistry at the University of Bordeaux’s Marne Campus

Surface area

4,100 m2

Construction costs

13 M€ pre-tax

Schedule

2019 - 2023

Status

Completed

Label

High Environmental Quality / NF Bâtiment tertiaire

As the successor to the School of Dentistry, which occupied these premises for some sixty years, the new programme will play a more general role in the university’s life, housing all the cultural and recreational programmes for the entire city-centre campus: a 400-seat amphitheatre for acoustic performances worthy of a full-fledged performance hall, a multimedia library, gym spaces, rooms for student organisations, and a recreation room for socialising.

Sitting along the Cours de la Marne, one of Bordeaux’s major thoroughfares, and the Rue Elie Gintrac, the project will include a public passageway from one street to the other, in the spirit of the public vocation of this university campus programme. The path through this landscaped block provides a respite from the density and activity of the streets leading to the Place de la Victoire.

Plan

We sought to reuse the existing structure to the maximum, from the macro to the micro. We preserved the building along the Rue Elie Gintrac and we reused the facing stones, thereby exceeding the client adviser’s expectations.

Construction

The construction deals with several complexities. It lies within a protected area, along one of Bordeaux’s major thoroughfares, with very restricted access to the worksite and new construction tightly inserted in between the existing structures. During the excavation phase, wood and straw flooring and bas-reliefs were uncovered.

Sections

The new programme has significant typological differences from the existing structure, which was originally organised by floor. Our intervention preserves the two main, existing volumes and inserts the amphitheatre in the middle of the parcel.

Performance hall

With 400 seats, the hall is equipped with stage equipment to host lectures or theatre plays. Hybrid retransmissions (live and online) are also possible, with a routing to the classrooms and simultaneous translation.

The delicately arranged “inner street” crossing the block serves as a reception area and gathering place for students.