Construction is nearing completion in Paris on an academic building designed by Studio Gang for the new campus of the University of Chicago. The John W. Boyer Center — that is its official name — was from the outset designed in compliance with the French sustainability law, which requires that new public buildings be constructed with at least 50 percent wood or other natural materials. With this law implemented in 2022, France aims to prioritize low-carbon, bio-based materials such as wood, hemp, and straw over other building materials such as concrete and steel.

Located in Paris’ Left Bank, in the city’s 13th arrondissement, the building will in fact feature a hybrid, lightweight structure made of solid wood, set above a ground-floor steel frame that spans an existing concrete grid.

Designed in collaboration with local architectural firm Parc Architectes, the center is an expansion of the existing University of Chicago campus in Paris and triples its size to facilitate the growing study and research needs of faculty and students. The building has been organized as a “vertical campus” that connects to the surrounding neighborhood and provides a vibrant academic space for students.

The architecture will contain an amphitheater, a library, laboratory rooms, biodiverse roof gardens, and a double-height hall on the top floor. A central garden courtyard will then let natural light and ventilation into the building and provide a green space for studying and socializing.