Université Toulouse Capitole

Intervening in the heart of the campus of the University Toulouse Capitole is a rare opportunity to highlight an urban university complex with the refined architecture characteristic of its time, whose figures, materials and scales guide the development project.

Today, the vast waterproofed parking lot planted with a few trees, the forecourt of the university does not highlight the architectural object of the Arsenal, as "laid out" there during the 1960s with the entire campus, creating surprising interface situations with the surrounding traditional fabric.

Our proposal crosses the issues of green framework and pedestrian routes at the neighborhood and campus levels to propose new comfortable paths that connect the different urban and landscaped rooms, and gently shape the terrain to infiltrate rainwater while taking into account a complex archaeological subsoil.

The plant strategy aims to create the largest possible canopy from existing trees, in order to provide the best conditions of shade and freshness for a liveable campus by 2050, as well as diverse and connected environments.

From the tree lines of the parking lot and the isolated and majestic groves of trees, we weave new landscaped rooms that create amphitheaters, meeting circles, outdoor lounges and other inhabited edges, as many living spaces for the Campus Park.

The campus boundary is redesigned as a living interface, so that the park-campus is visible from the street of the Puits Creusés, and no longer from the threshold of the Arsenal building.