Yncrea Lille Campus
Alongside Eiffage, Maes, Elan and BERIUM, Snøhetta has delivered a design proposal for the engineering school Yncrea in Lille, in the North of France.
The project merges three existing schools into one single, vertical campus regrouping the individual educational entities and research facilities under one roof.
The different spaces are connected through a continuous path which is materialized through a wooden spiral-like ribbon connecting the different programs and floors while creating an intuitive path through the building – all the way from the main entrance to the auditoriums.
Functioning dually as roof and staircase, the wooden ribbon is clearly identifiable from the outside through the building’s transparent skin.
Functioning dually as roof and staircase, the wooden ribbon is clearly identifiable from the outside through the building’s transparent skin.
Part of the rooftop doubles as a photovoltaic canopy and there are dedicated spaces for urban farming. Planted trees with a soil depth of one meter provide shading and a comfortable refuge for local insects and birds.
The Yncrea Lille Campus invites visitors, students and staff to explore the school’s amenities and public rooftop terrace. With its panoramic views overlooking the city, this open-air space, dubbed “The Beating Heart”, is well-suited for activities ranging from concerts, exhibitions and other student activity.
The building’s folded façade gives the building a kinetic feel, as if the building itself was changing shape when passersby stroll past.
Transparent from one angle and opaque from the other, the building displays its busy inner life while also offering more secluded and shaded spaces for students and staff to enjoy for themselves.
