Architecture evolves from the collision of political, financial, functional, logistic, cultural, structural, environmental, social and many yet unnamed and unforeseeable interests. Bruce Mau once visited BIG&#;s office and saw a  series of projects including a study on Danish harbor activities. He was fascinated by the study and asked us to mail him the slides as he was leaving the next day. When he received it, he replied: &#;No, no. I want the one you explained when we were there.&#; We assured him it was the same one. He said &#;It&#;s interesting. In most cases when you see architects work, its&#;s dead drawings and superficial images. But when you get a tour of the office or visit a building with the architect, you feel the energy and get all these little punch lines and invisible stories that make the whole work come to life! Too bad it&#;s so hard to capture in an exhibition, or even worse in a book!&#;

The new multidisciplinary research center, Paris PARC, located between Jean Nouvel’s Institut du Monde Arabe and the open green park of Sorbonne&#;s Jussieu Campus will become a significant addition to the campus, strengthening the international appeal and openness of the leading French University for Science and Medicine. The facility will bring together academic scholars and the business community, while re-connecting the university physically and visually with the city of Paris.

The building consists of four main materials and elements which are also found in the existing structures and natural landscape of the area &#; concrete, steel, glass, and wood. The walls of the exhibition rooms are made of concrete cast onsite, supporting the landscape and carrying the fascinating roof decks that cantilever out m. The largest roof deck weighs approximately , ton &#; a complex roof structure that is engineered by Swiss Lüchinger+Meyer. The main interior materials utilized throughout the gallery spaces are wood and hot rolled steel, which is applied to all the interior walls.

BIG was engaged to create symbiosis between old and new &#; in both stylistic and atmospheric terms &#; housing community activities and support rooms, a large hall that has the power to unite, inspire and create space for the parish to come together. BIG&#;s proposal is based on the existing architecture of the church. The geometry is formed as an extension of one of the church’s four wings, with all the new functions placed at ground level.

The design of the new Travel Center will work with the building&#;s integrated solar cell system on the vast roof surface to harvest the sun&#;s energy, with the capability of covering nearly % of the project’s energy demand. The indoor climate will be managed through natural ventilation, and heating through underfloor heating, and the potential use of floor cooling and rainwater recycling. Conditions will be improved for public transport in the city, providing a natural flow for bicycles and pedestrians, as well as passengers switching between modes of transport. These benefits along with charging stations and places for micro-mobility will reduce citizen’s reliance on cars.