“ the building is intended for hotel, gastronomic and tourism-related disciplines. Situated on an area of 1,6 hectares, the structure consists of: Two buildings for the school (for 1000 students) connected by 5 footbridges crossing the central courtyard with trees; a residence for students (78 beds); a managerial residence (10 apartments); a gym; an outer athletics track and a sports ground. the school includes a 12-room hotel (ten of 2 and 3 stars; two 4-star suites); three public restaurants – a gastronomic restaurant (147 sq.m./for 50), a brasserie (110 sq. m.) and a pedagogic restaurant (213 sq. m.); a multipurpose room.
The project appears as a single entity that shows a formal diversity, compact volumes with sculptural shapes.
The volumetric complexity can be seen even inside the buildings, giving to every room its spatial particularity.
The building that houses the school is characterized by the presence of two cavities that provide, on one side, the entrance to students and visitors, on the other side, a secondary entrance for teachers.
The school is made of two main buildings, that constitute the sculptural mass, where the gym, the residence for students and the managerial residence gravitate.
In the first one, that extends towards Rue Titien, there are: the multipurpose room, the administrative offices, the classrooms and the cafeteria that opens towards the recreational areas outside.
In the second one, there are the student activities: the cafeteria linked to the inner courtyard, the spaces used for the gastronomic and hotel sector and, on the upper floors, the Documentation and Information Centre.
The gastronomic restaurant, the brasserie, and the 4-star hotel, that provide the showcase for the savoir faire of the school, represent the strength points of the project.
From a thermic point of view, the choice to put a curved concrete hull assures an efficient thermic inertia.
The outer fae overlaps this hull, going well with the curves of the volumes; made of triangular varnished anodized aluminium boxes and frames of the same shape, the fae shows the play of full and empty spaces, of lights and shadows, that are peculiar of the dynamics of the project.” Description of Architects.
Location: Montpellier, FranceArchitect: Massimiliano and Doriana Fuksas Consultants: Altia – Acoustics; Neveux-Rouyer – Landscape Architects; Alma Consulting - Kitchen design. Engineering: IosisArtistic Interventions: Matali Crasset Area: 23.60000 mq Date: 2006-2012Client: Region Languedoc-Roussillon