A gateway to Paris-Saclay Located north of the Le Moulon plateau, next to the future Orsay-Gif station on the Grand Paris Express, the centre will be the new gateway into the Le Moulon joint development zone and the Paris-Saclay campus. Consequently, it will be very prominent.

Sylvie Retailleau, President of Paris-Sud University, said: “Biology, pharmacy and chemistry have a common culture and share issues in common in relation to health. Collaborations between these three disciplines are natural. From a scientific standpoint, grouping them together seemed essential to us.”

Pascal Minault, CEO of Bouygues Entreprises France-Europe, said: “This partnership contract testifies to the confidence we have been shown by Paris-Sud University. Working alongside recognised partners, starting with the architects BTuA and Bernard Tschumi, Baumschlager Eberle Architects, and Groupe-6, we have devised a project that is sober, functional and elegant which aims to make the Biology – Pharmacy – Chemistry Centre a centre of excellence in teaching and research.”

A new facility for achieving excellence in research The Biology – Pharmacy – Chemistry Centre will be installed on two strategic sites: - The “Métro site”, with monumental architecture designed by Bernard Tschumi (BTuA), will be the heart of the complex and the teaching facilities and Groupe-6 for the research laboratories, will extend over 74,000 m² (floor area). This will be home to Paris-Sud University’s Pharmacy Faculty, which will transfer from Châtenay-Malabry, the Orsay Institute of Molecular Chemistry and Materials (ICMMO – Paris-Sud University/CNRS) and Masters programmes in Biology and Chemistry. In all, 3,300 students and 1,000 teachers, researchers and administrative personnel will work on this site.

- the “IDEEV site”, which has 14,000 m² of floor area and houses the Institute for the Diversity, Ecology and Evolution of the Living World (IDEEV – Paris-Sud University/CNRS/INRA/AgroParisTech/IRD). Designed by Baumschlager Eberle Architects, this site will be used by 400 researchers, doctoral candidates and administrative personnel.

The centre, which will have HQE (High Environmental Quality) certification, will incorporate state-of-the-art research labs, teaching facilities (lecture theatres, seminar rooms, student labs), scientific greenhouses, insectarium and aquarium, social spaces, offices, technical areas, shared logistics zones and car parking.