Université Sorbonne, cafétéria Malesherbes

The Sorbonne University (Paris IV), specializing in the teaching of languages, literature and foreign civilizations is emblematic of Parisian student life. The cafeteria extension and refurbishment of the educational building design forms part of a broader strategy to enhance the quality of student amenities and reception. Taking advantage of the topography of the internal courtyard, the campus architect consolidates the restaurant program onto a single level while introducing an elevated terrace.

While respecting the heritage character of the Sorbonne campus, the educational building design reinterprets the internal courtyard as a stratified landscape articulated across three terraced levels. The restaurant is arranged on a single level, incorporating a lightweight technical volume within the service courtyard and a large, open dining hall oriented toward the main courtyard. The amply glazed dining space, which opens onto a terrace, extends the dining area during warmer months. This space accommodates a range of student activities, from dining and studying to informal gatherings.

Furniture that is custom-designed, stackable, movable, and durable enhances spatial flexibility, allowing the space to be reconfigured for multiple uses, including study areas, reception spaces and conference settings. Aligned with the dining hall, the campus architect organizes back-of-house functions — service, preparation, and storage — to support a self-service capacity of 800 meals per day, complemented by vending units.

In continuity with the architectural language of the courtyard and surrounding university buildings, the educational building design introduces a sequence of cascading terraces and landscaped gardens. These interventions diversify spatial uses and atmospheres, bringing together dining, study and leisure within a cohesive environment. From the lounge area on the restaurant deck, students benefit from a sunlit space defined by a continuous sculptural bench. Below, a planted and grassed garden provides more intimate settings conducive to calm and concentration.