Cité Des Sciences Media Library's Restructuration, Paris

“House” that trans­forms and inha­bits the space.
The ​“House” func­tions in com­plete contrast with the Cité des sciences et de l’industrie. The lat­ter is mas­sive, metal­lic and has mega load-bea­ring beams, while the for­mer is small and inti­mate. The ​“House” intro­duces ano­ther scale for per­cei­ving spaces. It creates a pola­rity and an iden­tity that is sepa­rate from the library. The Cité des sciences et de l’industrie is per­cei­ved as a ter­ri­tory and the ​“House” pro­vides the geo­gra­phy the­reof.
 
The ​“House”, a space for living
 
This ​“House”, made enti­rely from wood and which occu­pies the emp­ti­ness of the space, connects the dif­ferent levels of the buil­ding. It’s a space for living and for sha­ring, it’s com­for­table and warm. Users are able to change posi­tions as they see fit. The ​“House” contains all of the library’s resources. Each of its rooms, which range from 10 to 20 sqm, has an inti­mate set­ting and is dis­con­nec­ted from the rea­ding spaces and areas where visi­tors congre­gate.
 
The ​“House” is sur­roun­ded by modu­lar and adap­table spaces
 
The other spaces in the library that sur­round the ​“House” and that are used for rea­ding, work­shops, trai­ning, indi­vi­dual or col­lec­tive pro­jects and mee­tings can be trans­for­med in line with requi­re­ments. Modularity and adap­ta­bi­lity lie at the heart of the pro­ject. Furniture that adapts to its pur­pose has also been inclu­ded in the pro­ject. A table need not neces­sa­rily only be used as a table but can turn into sea­ting or a dis­play sur­face. Furniture can be moved from one space to ano­ther. The fur­ni­ture forms an inte­gral part of the aes­the­tics of the ​“House”. A choice was made to create spaces that are not fixed, not defi­ni­tive, but spaces that evolve in a way that is spa­ring, like the set in a stage play.