Transformation of the Dijon-Maret site

The transformation of Dijon's Grand Séminaire into a university campus is a major step forward in the enhancement of the city's heritage and the history of the site. Built in 1664, the building has witnessed various stages of the city's religious and academic history and now welcomes a new chapter in its history. The campus will be home to Sciences Po Dijon, the École Supérieure de Musique and the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts de Dijon. The initiative to bring these three institutions together symbolises a strong vision. The proposed project renews the integration of the university function in the heart of the city and makes it possible to envisage synergies and cross-fertilisation between disciplines, while allowing for the distinct presence of entities with their own activities. Inside the buildings, the search for simplicity gives the spaces a sober aesthetic. Generous heights and traces of the past are elements that contribute to the imagination of the site and encourage ordinary creativity. Externally, we have chosen to make the architectural additions as discreet as possible, set back from what already exists, in order to reinforce and enhance the value of the landscape. The complete restoration of the courtyards includes the creation of four gardens - the garden of the simple, the orchard, the natural garden and the gardens of song - which are essential for restoring the landscape balance and the functional coherence of the site.