A striking new design school featuring a distinctive checkerboard facade of dark wood and light limestone has opened in St-Germain-en-Laye, marking a significant addition to the growing iXcampus science and technology hub west of Paris. The four-story building, designed by SAME Architectes of Paris, houses the CY école de design, which is part of the state university CY Cergy Paris Université.

The 25,800-square-foot structure stands on a triangular plot at the eastern edge of the campus, positioned at the convergence of two streets where it serves as a visual marker for the area's transformation. The building replaced an old restaurant and parking lot, symbolizing the site's evolution into a modern educational facility. SAME Architectes designed the structure with a trapezoidal floor plan and an elongated volume featuring a slightly sagging roofline, creating varying ceiling heights that are clearly visible from both exterior and interior perspectives.

The architectural design prioritizes flexibility and future adaptability. The interior construction was completed largely independent of the structural framework, allowing for easy modifications as educational needs change over time. The building accommodates classrooms, design studios, administrative offices, and an auditorium across its four levels, with three floors above ground and one below. Multiple understated entrances provide access to different areas of the facility, enhancing circulation and usability.

The school's most striking feature is its checkerboard facade pattern alternating between dark wood panels and light limestone blocks. This distinctive exterior design places the building within a growing trend of contemporary French architecture featuring similarly massive, textured facades that have emerged in recent years. The material palette creates a bold visual statement while maintaining harmony with the campus's overall aesthetic vision.

Inside, the design maintains a balance between functionality and warmth. Wood surfaces complement light-colored plastered walls and occasional exposed concrete elements, creating an atmosphere that is both practical and inviting for creative work. The varied ceiling heights resulting from the building's distinctive roofline add spatial interest and help define different functional zones throughout the interior.

The new design school represents one component of the larger iXcampus development, a private science and technology campus being developed according to a master plan by Baumschlager Eberle Architekten. St-Germain-en-Laye, located on the western edge of the Paris metropolitan area and surrounded by dense forests, provides a more spacious setting compared to the cramped conditions often found in central Paris. The campus brings together various companies and educational institutions, creating a collaborative environment for innovation and learning.

Landscape design for the entire campus grounds is being handled by Djao Rakitine Landscape Architecture of London, ensuring that the outdoor spaces complement the architectural vision. The project photography was completed by Schnepp Renou, capturing both the building's integration with its surroundings and the quality of its interior spaces. This new addition demonstrates how contemporary educational architecture can successfully balance bold design statements with practical functionality, creating inspiring environments for the next generation of designers.