The Franche-Comté Advanced School of Engineering (ISIFC) is located on the Bouloie-Temis campus in Besançon, France. The campus is the largest site of the Marie and Louis Pasteur University, formerly known as the University of Franche-Comté. Shaped by successive periods of development, the campus combines a nineteenth-century monument with rationalist architecture from the 1960s and forms part of a network of decentralised campuses.

Site and relationship to the landscape

Designed by French architecture studio Dominique Coulon & associés, the engineering school runs parallel to a road that climbs the steepest part of the campus. Its positioning allows the building to be absorbed into a small listed woodland, establishing a close relationship between the interior spaces and the trees, which stand close to the elevations. As a result, the building presents itself primarily towards the street, the main route running through the campus.

Campus renewal, programme, and building organisation

The project forms part of a broader programme to renew and expand the Bouloie-Temis campus, led by the City of Besançon and the university. This long-term initiative aims to modernise teaching and research facilities through the creation and renovation of approximately 40,000 square metres of floor area by 2027. Within this framework, ISIFC required a new building to accommodate a growing student population and respond to sustained demand from industry.

Conceived as a single building with a total floor area of 2,105 square metres, the project is organised into two sections to allow for future extension. One section accommodates specific-purpose spaces, including the large lecture and conference hall, a sizeable classroom, and the administrative hub. The second section houses the standard classrooms and is raised on pillars, enabling flexible use of the ground level while preserving the option of extending the building at a later stage. From the classrooms, broad views extend into the adjacent woodland, where the height and density of the trees provide shade and protection from direct sunlight.

Interior sequence, shared spaces, and material presence

A gradual change in level creates a transitional interior sequence and a sense of spatial continuity throughout the building. Collective spaces are arranged to support interaction and accommodate exhibitions, which take place regularly as part of the school’s teaching approach. These shared areas link different parts of the programme and allow spaces to adapt to changing uses.

The interior is defined by generous volumes and an abundance of natural light. Exposed concrete surfaces establish a raw, restrained atmosphere, while the double-height student common room introduces a vivid orange tone that contrasts with the surrounding material palette and marks a shared social space within the building. Interior woodwork and fit-out form a consistent layer of bespoke joinery, acoustic linings, and integrated partitions. Valchromat panels are used for wall and ceiling linings, contributing to material continuity alongside concrete and colour accents.

Lecture and conference facilities

The large lecture and conference hall is linked to an examination room by a sliding partition. Although not specified in the original programme, this connection allows the two spaces to be combined, creating a larger hall suitable for international congresses hosted by the school. Natural light enters the combined volume and the sectional relationship between the spaces reveals the advantages of this arrangement. The building is compact in scale but capable of accommodating larger gatherings as needed.

Adaptability and permanence

Throughout the project, the spatial organisation prioritises reversibility and adaptability. These qualities support a teaching environment that continues to evolve and reflect changing academic practices. Underpinning the design is a consideration of permanence, expressed through spaces that can expand, contract, and adjust over time while remaining rooted in their setting.

Wider campus context

Beyond the building itself, the campus renewal includes the creation of 65,000 square metres of landscaped parkland and 1,000 square metres of public greenhouses. Designed by landscape practice Altitude 35, the Bouloie-Temis campus is conceived as a “parkland campus” and as a physical and biological extension of the surrounding woodland. Movement across the site prioritises sustainable modes of transport, while plant selection responds to the site’s existing natural heritage and projected climate conditions.