The ISALAB Engineering School is a 5,750-square-meter educational facility located on the Montaury campus in Anglet, France. Designed by Patrick Arotcharen Architecte, the building extends the existing campus of the Institut Supérieur Aquitain du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics (ISA BTP) to provide classrooms, laboratories, workshops, auditoriums, administrative offices, and communal areas.
The building’s sculptural steel form is organized in three volumes arranged along the eastern eastern edge of the site, edging and opening onto a garden that integrates the campus with the surrounding Montaury forest. This arrangement creates a connection between architecture and nature, mirroring sustainable approach delivered by the project.
Certified environmental intent
Constructed in steel and concrete, the building achieved the French E3C1 certification for energy efficiency and low carbon emissions in 2022. The E3 rating signifies that the building consumes minimal energy for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, and hot water, achieved through passive design strategies such as natural ventilation, optimized daylighting, solar shading, and efficient mechanical systems. The C1 rating represents the lowest category of embodied carbon in the French E+C‑ framework, typically corresponding to less than approximately 350 kg CO₂e per square meter over the building’s construction lifecycle, placing it in the top bracket of low-carbon construction for non-residential buildings in France.
Durable materials, flexible function
Its interior emphasizes transparency and continuity: atriums and circulation corridors connect theoretical and practical areas, while exposed concrete articulate the structural logic and construction methods central to the school’s educational mission and providing durable, low-maintenance surfaces.
The layout is both static and flexible. The structures is a fixed volume, but the interior elements are modular and designed to accommodate changes in use. Non-structural elements such as partitions, acoustic panels, insulation, and solar shading can be moved, dismantled, or reassembled according to operational requirements. This flexibility allows the building to adapt to evolving technology and educational needs.
Smarter environmental systems
The building’s orientation and window placement are carefully calculated to provide ample natural light while limiting solar heat gain, supporting comfortable indoor conditions throughout the year. The school is supported by 121 geothermal foundation piles, which use the stable temperature of the ground to supply heating and cooling. This system significantly reduces the demand on conventional mechanical systems. Roof-mounted photovoltaic panels generate electricity for the building, with surplus energy fed back into the grid, contributing to the school’s low-carbon operational profile.
Rainwater is collected and reused for sanitation and irrigation, reducing the building’s reliance on potable water. While during construction, excavated soil was retained and repurposed on site to limit waste and the impact of relocation. Together, these strategies make the energy efficiency, water management, and carbon reduction tangible aspects of the architecture rather than abstract features.
A building that practices what it preaches
Functionally, ISALAB is designed to support the full spectrum of engineering education, combining theoretical classrooms with hands-on workshops and laboratories. The flexibility of interior spaces allow them to adapt to different teaching methods and group sizes. Its bioclimatic design strategies, use of renewable energy systems, and sustainable material choices position the building as a practical example of environmentally responsible construction for students to study and learn from.
