Charleville-Mézières is building its Campus

As part of its development project, Ardenne Metropole is developing its Le Moulin Le Blanc university site, with the support of the Ardennes’ Departmental Board and the Grand Est Regional Council

As part of its development project, Ardenne Metropole is developing its Le Moulin Le Blanc university site, with the support of the Ardennes’ Departmental Board and the Grand Est Regional Council.

French Ardennes are an industrial area and offer education which has been developed to meet the needs of local companies. But needs evolve and new sectors of development are appearing within the economy. It is therefore essential for a region to provide training which satisfies the existing players and their development, allows local students to train locally, and is also an attractive prospect for students from other areas, as a catalyst for a vital cultural mix.

The current site of Le Moulin Le Blanc is home to three departments of the Reims-Champagne-Ardenne University (URCA): the University Institute of Technology (IUT), the School for Teaching and Education (ESPE) and Higher Technical Training Institute (IFTS), providing technical degrees up to engineers. Alongside these courses, research and technology centres provide students with opportunities to develop skills and to use tools and platforms. These include a centre for industrial research and technology transfer (CRITT) specialising in materials, deposits and surface treatments, and a digital simulation R&D centre, DINCCS.

The development project, which will offer new training, aims to optimise and to share the different spaces through reconstruction to facilitate exchanges. The different buildings will be connected and the teaching facilities will be adapted. Three centres will be built: an extension to the IUT, the creation of a training centre for the CCI and the construction of a students’ house (a place to work, meet up, talk, etc.).

This campus project will help to improve student life. Firstly, physically connecting the various structures will improve relations between students, particularly between disciplines. New services to facilitate their integration and development, with new training programmes, are to be created. Links between training/companies/research and innovation, all present on site, will be strengthened.

With these facilities, Charleville-Mézières stands out as a development driver for French Ardennes, focusing on attracting young people in particular. Other related infrastructure is currently in the planning stages, including an innovative business incubator, Rimbaud’Tech. Charleville-Mézières reflects the dynamism of the Ardennes, where growth-generating initiatives for the region are increasing.

 

By Ardennes Développement, the Ardennes economic development agency - ardennes-developpement.com

©Zoom architecture mandataire : Jean-Marc Charlet et Francis Claudel architectes - Agence Grzezzak£Rigaud : Michel Grzezczak, Michel Rigaud et Sandrine Douzamy, architectes