XDGA

PEGE . Strasbourg

XDGA

There appears to be one constant about academic buildings; they require extensions, often at the cost of their own initial aualities. The existing Management School building in Strasbourg, France, is no exception. The competition asked for a freestanding volume on top of the existing parking, filling completely the only outdoor space of the plot.

Instead of adding, XDGA's proposal removes unnecessary elements; making room for new programs inside the existing volume. Two new buildings are built within the existing one; a new library replaces an underused parking level and the demolition of existing floor slabs creates a triple high entrance lobby.
The new library is a continuous horizontal space. Its uniform structure allows flexibility of use over time. The library's roof is the courtyard that the university has lacked. It is directly accessible from the existing building and populated with lightweight structures such as an outdoor amphitheater and a glass pavilion for the school's restaurant that will enhance the campus life.

competition: 1st prize
City: Strasbourg
Program: library, offices, administration 2013-2016
Year: 2013-2016
Status: in progress
Client: Region Alsace
Structural engineer: Bollinger + Grohmann
Mechanical engineer: Alto Ingenierie
Economy: Cholley