NP2F Wins Competition for New Mediterranean Institute of Cities and Territories in Marseille

NP2F, in collaboration with Marion Bernard, Point Supreme and Jacques Lucan, has won the competition for a new institute on Porte d’Aix Plaza in Marseille, France. A combination of research and education at a Mediterranean scale, the Mediterranean Institute of Cities and Territories will link three programmatic volumes: the Atelier Building, the Forum Building and the Experimentation and Research Building. The three forms compound a “progressive system and precise composition” oriented around a Y-shaped courtyard.

The buildings fit into the backdrop of Marseille through “continuity with public spaces and views of the surrounding streets.” The architecture of Marseille is characterized by the intersection of indoor and outdoor spaces. The Institute also utilizes concrete overhangs and intimate green spaces to create a “softness” for the users.

At the ground floor, the central courtyard serves as a continuation of the main entrance. It is designed to be the “town’s extension into the heart of the Institute”. On the other hand, the more urban courtyard in the research building is an “animation” of the boulevard. All the rooftops of the buildings are programmed to benefit from views of the sea, the town and mountains.