Studio Gang has completed its first project in France: the University of Chicago John W. Boyer Center in Paris. Located in the city’s 13th arrondissement, the new academic hub aims to energize the local neighborhood while integrating into the “urban and intellectual fabric of the city.”

Set on a corner site on Paris’s Left Bank, an area known for research and higher education, the center is the focal point of a new mixed-use development that includes residential buildings designed by PARC Architectes. The scheme’s signature brise soleil façade is comprised of 900 cylindrical stone batons, which filter light based on the interior function, offering privacy in study spaces while revealing public areas. Clad in Lutetian limestone, the batons echo Chicago’s main campus while rooting the building in Paris’s architectural heritage.

“The Center in Paris is designed as a vertical campus. Its multilevel atrium provides all the spaces with light and offers visual connections across programs,” said Jeanne Gang about the project. “We wanted the building to amplify social interactions, scholarly collaborations, and cultural exchange between the University and the City of Paris.”

Designed as a vertical campus, the 25,460-square-foot structure wraps classrooms, research spaces, and event areas around a central atrium. Outdoor spaces, including a courtyard, terraces, and a biodiverse rooftop, foster community interaction, social gatherings, and provide urban habitats. Nine classrooms, a research institute, and an amphitheater offer varied environments for teaching, conferences, and intellectual events.

Sustainability formed a core principle for the project, aligning with Paris’s environmental standards. A hybrid mass timber structure and regionally sourced limestone façade reduce carbon impact while photovoltaic panels on the roof generate on-site energy, complementing the district’s heating and cooling services for energy efficiency. Elsewhere, daylight optimization, natural ventilation, and biodiversity-focused landscaping support environmental goals while enhancing user experience.