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Archello Awards 2026 · Enter your projects before 30 September 2026

Gastronomic Campus in Normandy

Gastronomic Campus in Normandy
JF Molliere

Gastronomic Campus in Normandy

13-Nov-2017 Leaded by French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Normandy Regional Council, this project is to create a whole new gastronomic learning center. It’s located in the heart of Saint-Lô Technopole, a 50 Ha campus dedicated tohigher education and research. The building containsinnovative tools dedicated to a more performant pedagogy whose goal is to provide qualified and skilled people to companies. Beyond the gastronomic restaurant, opened to public, the campus includes a brasserie, a chic snacking to take-away and a space for oenology. It also integrates a high-performance kitchen for low temperature cooking and a mini amphitheaterwith videoconference to offer online trainings and Michelin-starred chefs demonstration.


Architecture is a universal engine to attract people, to catalyze energies, to change the game and to strengthen resilience all at once. Tomorrow’s hotels and restaurants will be shaped for people to live, to share, to work and to have fun together. Hotels will become and remain sustainable places with well-being as a key-factor not only for guests, but forstaff and local communities all at once. The bioclimatic approach including orientation of the building, nature of the core and shell, size of the windows, choice of solar protection or natural ventilation is a fundamental option for any inhabited place such as a learning center. It must be adapted to each specific morphological, climatological, historical and cultural context. Here, in a transforming context, in-between St-Lô city and rural landscape, the new building and its exterior rooms, create a unifying presence and an original urbanity offering an extreme capacity of transformation over time.


Like a city,the gastronomic campus is a shared living organism encouraging dialogue, emulation and synergies between professors and apprentices from the various centres. In the heart of the system, the covered passage is the backbone of the campus. Just as all distribution system, it is protected from Normandy’s bad weather, it encourages social connections and mutual respect. Despite hygienical and technical constraints, the interior atmospheres are smoothness thanks to thematic patios, absorbing aluminium ceilings and space configuration. The interplay of light and shadow is part of the strategy to bring all kind of cuisine to light.Since its completion in October 2016, about 800 young people, between 15 to 30 years old are trained onsite simultaneously in alternation with practical periods in hotels and/or restaurants.


As in watchmaking, nothing is left to chance. Two key axes order the campus and federate the living areas, the learning centre and the branch office of the Chamber of Commerce: The North-South pedestrian path and the East-West covered passage. Just as meticulous, the light-filtering façade in poplar and micro-perforated aluminium is answering to numerous challenges: thermic performance, light control, needs for privacy, maintenance and aesthetic. Shaped for mankind, landscape and architecture are in the service of higher education & research in gastronomy & oenology. From the kitchen and restaurant to logistic spaces, premises are comfortable and ergonomic. The service courtyard is integrated to the building, embedded inside the vibrant hybrid aluminium & timber epidermis. The five facades are in a courteous dialogue with the city and the Norman bocage. Inside, visitors can experience the backstage of restauration, sharing the contagious passion for gastronomy.


All technical, structural and architectural options are made to facilitate the maintenance and to limit the overall cost during the whole life cycle of the building. The campus is a very adaptable and extensible tool. In a sustainable development strategy, the urban matrix guides, articulates and anticipates the needs of future generations. It willallow future generations to easily upgrade and adapt the campus to the always changing environment.


3-Aug-2017 The catering and hospitality industry is changing. A new public with ecological awareness is coming on the market. Their vision of life, aspirations and distinctive culture have already started to shape our economy and society. In this changing environment and in a very competitive industry, attracting young people and training them to become tomorrow’s chefs and sommeliers is becoming a challenge.


A fair and ambitious educational program


After decades of status quo, apprenticeship is finally recognized as a path to success for young people nowadays in France. Leaded by French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Normandy Regional Council, this project is to create a whole new gastronomic learning center. It’s located in the heart of Saint-Lô Technopole, a 50 Ha campus dedicated tohigher education and research. The building is containing innovative tools dedicated to a more performant pedagogy whose goal is to provide qualified and skilled people to companies. Since its completion in October 2016, about 800 young people, between 15 to 30 years old are trained onsite simultaneously in alternation with practical periods in hotels and/or restaurants. Beyond the gastronomic restaurant, opened to public, the campus includes a brasserie and chic snacking to take-away, a space for oenology. It also integrates a high-performance kitchen for low temperature cooking and a mini amphitheaterwith videoconference with a recording module to offer online trainings and Michelin-starred chefs demonstration.


“People first” and other key challenges


We strongly believe in the power of architecture. Architecture is a universal engine to attract people, to catalyze energies, to change the game and to strengthen resilience all at once. Tomorrow’s hotels and restaurants will be shaped for people to live, to share, to work and to have fun together. Hotels will become and remain sustainable places with well-being as a key-factor not only for guests, but for staff and local communities all at once. It’s a leverage for well-being and sustainable performance. The bioclimatic approach including orientation of the building, nature of the core and shell, size of the windows, choice of solar protection, natural ventilation… is a fundamental option for any inhabited place such as a learning center. It alsomust be adapted to each specific morphological, climatological, historical and cultural context. Here, in a transforming context, in-between St-Lô city and rural landscape, the new building and its exterior rooms, create a unifying presence and an original urbanity offering an extreme capacity of transformation over time.


A welcoming and friendly place, open to all


Like a city,the gastronomic campus is a shared living organism encouraging dialogue, emulation and synergies between professors and apprentices from the various centres. In the heart of the system, the covered passage is the backbone of the campus. Just as all distribution system of the campus, it is protected from the bad weather of Normandy, it encourages social connections and mutual respect. Despite hygienical and technical constraints, the interior atmospheres are smoothness thanks to thematic patios, absorbing aluminium ceilings and space configuration. The interplay of light and shadow is part of our strategy to bring all kind of cuisine to light.


A meticulous system.


As in watchmaking, nothing is left to chance. Everything is in its proper place, and every single element of the programme is clearly visible and identified. Two key axes order the campus and federate the living areas, the learning centre and the branch office of the Chamber of Commerce. The North-South pedestrian path and the covered passage. At the crossroads of the flows, the lobby open to the main street and the city from one side, and to the Technopole and the great landscape from the other. Conceived in a global coherence, learning areas and living ones are located on both sides of the North-South axe. Internal users as well as external ones can understand in an instinctive manner the campus activities. Just as meticulous, the light-filtering façade in wood and micro-perforated aluminium is answering to numerous challenges: thermic performance, light control, needs for privacy, maintenance and aesthetic.


A bio-climatic design for an ultra-functional pedagogical tool


With the next generations looking for true stories, kept promises and fun,thinking “Bio-climatic Design” and “People first” represents a tremendous opportunity to change the game. Shaped for mankind, landscape and architecture are in the service of higher education & research in gastronomy & oenology. From the kitchen and restaurant to the logistic spaces, premises are comfortable and ergonomic. The service courtyard is integrated to the building, embedded inside the vibrant hybrid aluminium & timber epidermis. The five facades are in a courteous dialogue with the city and the Norman bocage. Inside, visitors can experience the backstage of restauration, sharing the contagious passion for gastronomy. This configuration must appeal hosts from the whole Technopole and beyond. The comings and goings of dishes are highlighted along the internal spaces rhythmed by landscaped gardens.


A nice legacy for future generations


All technical, structural and architectural options are made to facilitate the maintenance and to limit the overall cost during the whole life cycle of the building. The campus is a very adaptable and extensible tool. The core slab structure liberates an open plan which allows any kind of transformation. In a sustainable development strategy, the urban matrix guides, articulates and anticipates the needs of future generations. It willallow future generations to easily upgrade and adapt the campus to the always changing environment.

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