Roland Köhler (left), Member of the Executive Committee of LafargeHolcim, responsible for Europe presents the inaugural LafargeHolcim Building Better Recognition to Gilles Delalex on behalf of his team from Muoto Architecture Studio for their low-cost flexible university building Lieu de vie campus hub at the University of Paris-Saclay.

Benedicte de Bonnechose, CEO of Lafarge France (left) with Gilles Delalex, Muoto Architecture Studio - winner of the first LafargeHolcim Building Better Recognition for region Europe for a low-cost flexible university building Lieu de vie campus hub at the University of Paris-Saclay.

The first LafargeHolcim Building Better Recognition for region Europe was presented to Gilles Delalex and his team from Muoto Architecture Studio for their low-cost flexible university building Lieu de vie campus hub at the University of Paris-Saclay.

Conceived as a minimal structure using rough materials, robust and long lasting techniques, the “urban shelf” is organized vertically with its different activities superimposed on one another, using the roof as a panoramic playground for football and basketball games.

Different activities are superimposed upon one another including a 1,000-seat student cafeteria, fitness and weights rooms, a lively terrace, all crowned with a panoramic sportsground on the roof that is used for football and basketball games.

Lieu de vie hub building is a low-cost structure that remains highly adaptable to changes to its function and use on the campus in the future.

The building is an “urban shelf” that stacks a variety of flexible-use spaces on top of one another.

The proposed scheme offers a robust framework that is adaptable to future needs – a form of resilient architecture, both in view of its management of resources as well as formal appearance.

The elegant design merges economic and aesthetic considerations – a low-cost structure turning a limitation into a quality.

The project’s minimal deployment of architectural and technical means was considered a remarkable contribution to sustainable construction by the members of the LafargeHolcim Awards regional jury for Europe in 2014.

This mixed-use shared facility on the Paris-Saclay university campus encourages the interaction and encountering of various populations who live in close proximity to one another, but rarely interact.