Launch of the University of Chicago Center in Paris!

Attended by John W. Boyer, Dean of the College at the University of Chicago; Katie Callow-Wright, Executive Vice President of the University of Chicago, Marie-Christine Lemardeley, Deputy Mayor of Paris responsible for Higher Education, Research and Student Life, Jérôme Coumet, Mayor of the 13th district of Paris and Chairman of SEMAPA, Emmanuel Desmaizières, CEO of Icade Promotion, world-renowned architect Jeanne Gang, and partner architects from Parc Architectes, the ceremony revealed new renderings of the building, the University’s plans to establish a Research Institute for International Studies in the Center, and a conversation with Gang on the architectural significance of the new building’s innovative and sustainable design.

Scheduled to open in January 2024, the new Center will be located at 39-45 Rue des Grands Moulins in Paris Rive Gauche, a district close to the French National Library that is considered a hub for research and higher education. The site of the Center’s expansion is also part of one of Europe’s leading civic projects, which focuses on developing former industrial sections of Paris’ Left Bank. The current Center, which is located two blocks from the expansion project site, will close after the new building is completed.

As part of the expansion, the University’s new Research Institute for International Studies will further support for UChicago’s global research and collaborations, deepening established relationships in France and Europe and broadening participation in research networks across those regions, the Middle East and Africa. The Institute also will support a diversity of faculty projects and research, such as short-term roundtables and working groups, long-term sabbaticals and visiting fellowships, support for longer projects that require recurring visits to Paris, and individual faculty research.

The Center also supports the advanced studies of doctoral students, faculty research, and partnerships between UChicago and colleges, universities, and organizations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The expansion will enable 100 additional undergraduates to study in Paris each year, broaden capacity for events programming, and provide new opportunities for dynamic learning.

“A priority of the University of Chicago as an engaged university is to confront the most important societal and cultural issues of our times, said Paul Alivisatos, president of the University of Chicago. “Expanding the Center and Institute broadens the capacity of UChicago to fulfill this commitment, providing the increased space and resources necessary to more fulsomely support the research of faculty and the scholarly work of students, alumni, and partners across France, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.”

Robert J. Zimmer, chancellor of the University of Chicago, added: “As a preeminent global research university, the University of Chicago is deeply committed to enhancing opportunities for learning and discovery worldwide. Through the expanded Center and the new Institute, the University will further serve as an intellectual destination for international education, scholarly exchange, and research that defines fields and deepens knowledge.”

Studio Gang, headquartered in Chicago, has designed the Center alongside Icade Promotion. The building will feature such amenities as an amphitheater, great room, laboratory classrooms, and vertical courtyard of gardens, terraces, and circulation throughout the center of the building, recalling the University’s Chicago campus experience. It will also house a small library, dedicated workspaces for research teams and visiting scholars, flexible venues for conferences and symposia, and recreational and outdoor spaces for the Center’s faculty, students, staff, and visitors. A second building for residential use, titled Michigan Gardens, is being developed by Icade and Parc Architectes on the same block.

“In line with Icade’s Purpose to build places where people want to live and work, this is truly a mixed-use project that will be part of a district undergoing a major transformation,” explained Emmanuel Desmaizières, CEO of Icade Promotion. “The Michigan Garden building comprised of 89 housing units will be built there next to the university. It is also a low-carbon project that aims to obtain the best environmental labels and certifications.”

“Since its founding in 2003, the Center in Paris has provided a pivotal hub to pursue knowledge, research, and scholarly engagement in Paris and across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa,” said John W. Boyer, dean of the University of Chicago’s undergraduate College. “Unlike traditional programs at many colleges that focus on language instruction and cultural enrichment, UChicago offers 14 faculty-led interdisciplinary programs that range from history to neurobiology to mathematics. The expanded Center and new institute will significantly enhance learning opportunities, as well as UChicago’s contributions to societal and scientific advancements as an institution of higher learning.”