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Architects: WONK architectes
- Area: 3200 m²
- Year: 2012
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Photographs:Julien Lanoo
Text description provided by the architects. The IFSanté is a 3200 square-meterHealth Formation Institute building in Lille, France, for the Catholic University. The site is near the Saint-Philibert Hospital and the subway, in a new neighborhood named “Humanicité” made of several open blocks crossed by a large pedestrian avenue. The institutehosts 600 students and teaches a variety of medicine and health subjects.
The project exhibits a tight simplicity that reflects the program informing about the internal configurations. The geometry is seton thenorthwest cornerof the block,releasingan as generous as possiblecourt. The projectexpresses variousstratathatarein dialogue withaheartopenblock.
The controlledtransparency of the groundfloorgathers the court, the lobby andthe cafeteriaina friendly place.
A singularfigureis expressedfromdifferent perspectives.The amphitheater, the libraryandrooms for practicalwork, specific program elements,are stagedto distinguish the differentpolaritiesof the project.Thecantilever of theamphitheaterclearlydesignatesa protected entry.
The plantedroofsoffer quietspacesanddraw theskyline in different levels. The facades materials,alternatingglass andanodized aluminum,offera subtle interplay ofdifferenttransparencies bringing lot ofnaturallight.