JDS architects completes angular euralille youth centre in northern france

JDS architects completes angular euralille youth centre in northern france
all images by julien lanoo

over the past twenty years, the northern french city of lille has emerged as a growing european hub; a destination for business as well as a burgeoning tourist destination. designed by JDS architects, the euralille youth centre seeks to stand as an urban catalyst, presenting a distinctively angular silhouette. JDS, the multidisciplinary office of belgian architect julien de smedt, originally won the competition to complete the project in 2011.

the building presents a distinctively angular silhouette

accommodating youth hostel, kindergarten, and office programs, the design places each function at a respective point on the triangular site. organized around a communal garden, this configuration offers a high degree of privacy, while simultaneously ensuring relative proximity and continuity of space. the building’s mass is lifted at each of its corners, both illuminating and activating the adjacent public realm and creating a continuity from outside to inside.

the scheme is located in the northern french city of lille

the design accommodates youth hostel, kindergarten, and office programs

the different functions are organized around a centrally positioned atrium

each program is located in a different corner of the triangular site

the configuration offers a high degree of privacy

a recessed area of secluded seating

circulation routes converge at a rooftop terrace

view towards the youth hostel

programmatic allocation: office (blue), kindergarten (magenta), youth hostel (orange) 

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project info:

project: youth hostel, kindergarten, office     
budget: 12,150,000 EUR     
type: invited competition / 1st prize
size: 6,980 sqm
client: SAEM euralille
location: lille, france     
team: JDS, EGIS, agence franck boutté consultants, SL2EC         
creative authorship: julien de smedt     
project leader: renaud pereira     
project team: david dominguez iriondo, edna lueddecke, felix luong, francisco villeda, heechan park, henning stuben, leonora daly, marion julien, priscilla girelli, sandra fleischmann, wouter dons    
photography: julien lanoo