Photos Reveal the Architectural and Artistic Heritage of the University of Paris

A person stands in a grand hallway with arched windows viewing a series of display panels. Each panel showcases images and text under the theme "UNE UNIVERSITÉ DANS LA VILLE," meaning "A University in the City.

Have you ever wondered what the university environment in Paris is like? In which places steeped in history do the students live and work?

With 34 sites in the Paris region, celebrating as many eras, styles, and architectural visions serving teaching, research, and students, Paris Cité University is celebrating its 5 years of existence in 2025 with a unique and free photo exhibition in its headquarters located at Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Having been selected to carry out this major project, I visited all the university’s sites for 6 weeks to deliver 100 original photos. In addition to the exhibition “The Architect University”, I wanted to offer my personal vision of the project — my photographer’s view beyond its official presentation.

Full Front

My first discovery of each site visited was about their facades and their exterior architecture. From the most classic to the most contemporary, from the most modern to the most vegetal, each facade is an introduction to the buildings, to their history, to their promises.

People walk past a stone building with tall windows and intricate stone carvings between them. The facade features vertical columns and metal bars on lower windows. The scene is a busy street with motion blur capturing the pedestrians.

A modern building with a glass facade reflecting its structure. It features two symmetrical staircases leading up to the entrances. People are walking on the ground level near some greenery. Bright blue sky above.

A modern multi-story building with horizontal lines of windows, some with colorful accents. The foreground features an open plaza with people walking and a group gathered, surrounded by street lamps and adjacent structures.

A modern building with two shiny, cylindrical bridges connecting sections. The exterior features large windows and contrasting surfaces. Below, a landscaped garden with plants and rectangular glass elements is visible.

A modern building with a glass facade is surrounded by a lush garden with pathways. The scene is bright with sunlight, and tall trees with green and autumn-colored leaves flank the building. People are visible through the windows.

A modern white building with large windows is shown against a clear blue sky. There are multiple stories and an outdoor area with benches and people walking below. A grass section is visible to the left, surrounded by a metal railing.

A symmetrical view of a large building courtyard with a clear blue sky and scattered clouds. The sun shines brightly between the two sections, creating a starburst effect. Light patterns are visible on the ground.

A modern building facade featuring multiple rows of windows with variously colored shutters in red, orange, and yellow. A large vent or louvered panel is positioned above the windows. The wall is uniformly white.

The image shows a neoclassical building with tall columns in the foreground. The facade features ornate carvings and a triangular pediment. A statue is visible in the center beneath the pediment, set against a cloudy sky.

Interior Beauty

A logical continuation of the exterior spaces, the interior spaces include the halls, lounges and corridors used every day by the students of Paris Cité University. The styles of its living and circulation spaces echo their exterior appearance, even if developments modernize the oldest sites.

Wide-angle view of a bright hallway with wooden paneling and large windows on both sides. The corridor has a polished floor, long wooden benches, and a central column with "Galerie Richet" engraved on it.

A modern hallway featuring geometric windows on the left, a brick wall on the right, and a red accent wall midway. The corridor is well-lit with a polished floor and a ceiling of white tiles, leading to a bright area at the end.

A modern building interior with a concrete design features a red metal railing along a walkway. Stairs lead down to a lower level where people are moving. Large windows on the left allow natural light into the space. A colorful artwork hangs on the wall.

A person sits on a curved green couch in a room with light stone walls. Two large, colorful paintings depicting medical scenes are displayed on the wall above the couch. A white statue stands in front of the paintings. A pink couch is also visible.

A grand hallway with ornate columns and sculptures along the walls. Large arched windows let in natural light, illuminating the high ceiling with intricate designs. People walk down the polished floor, creating a sense of movement in the elegant space.

Spacious art gallery entrance with a high ceiling and skylights. Marble floors and symmetrical staircases lead to an open doorway. Large, colorful murals adorn the walls, and abstract sculptures are placed near the entrance.

University Panorama

Privileged viewpoints, the roofs and terraces offer panoramas illustrating the central place of the different university sites in the city. A specificity of Paris Cité University, compared to British or American campuses located outside city centers.

View of an architectural structure with a large courtyard surrounded by classic, multi-story buildings with numerous windows. The roofs are gray and slightly sloped. The sky is overcast, adding a muted tone to the image.

A tall, historic building with a distinctive tower stands on a corner. Adjacent is a modern, glass-facade building. People walk along the tree-lined street and open plaza, surrounded by greenery and autumn foliage. The sky is overcast.

A modern, angular black building is situated in a courtyard surrounded by older, multi-story buildings. Several people walk near the entrance, and the sky is clear with a few clouds.

A modern building with a grid-like facade is visible, surrounded by a grassy area with trees. A nearby metallic sculpture adds artistic interest. In the background, additional buildings and a partly cloudy sky complete the urban scene.

Theaters of Knowledge

Teaching places by excellence, the amphitheaters of Paris Cité University are distinguished by their varied styles and dimensions, from the small classroom to the amphitheater on two levels. I was even allowed access to an old medical lecture hall with a characteristic circular design, where the professor gave his lessons in the center of the room.

An empty, vintage lecture hall with a circular seating arrangement. Wooden benches are arranged in tiers around the central space. The room has high ceilings, large windows, and a single hanging light fixture, creating a historic ambiance.

An empty lecture hall with tiers of green seats facing a lecture platform. The walls and ceiling are white, and fluorescent lights illuminate the room. The lectern is at the far end under a green chalkboard.

Large lecture hall with tiered wooden benches and high windows allowing ample natural light. The architecture features elegant, light-colored walls and decorative elements around the windows.

A spacious, empty lecture hall with wooden seats arranged in rows. The hall features a balcony section above the main seating area. The ceiling has recessed square lighting, and the walls are painted white. Doors are visible on the sides.

Empty lecture hall with rows of gray seats and foldable desks, facing a whiteboard and projector screen. The room has a high ceiling with fluorescent lighting and white walls, creating a clean and modern appearance.

A spacious room with a large grid-patterned glass skylight ceiling. White walls and hanging light fixtures enhance the space's brightness. The ceiling features intricate detailing, adding a classic architectural touch.

An empty auditorium with red, tiered seating arranged in a semicircle. The ceiling features a geometric pattern. A clock is mounted on the cream-colored wall above a central stairway leading down.

Science in Consciousness

Paris Cité University offers interdisciplinary courses through its faculties of Health, Sciences and Society & Humanities. This multidisciplinary teaching around sciences is characterized at the architectural level by laboratories, libraries, greenhouses, technical rooms, museums, and archives.

A greenhouse interior filled with various potted succulents and cacti on shelves. Sunlight streams through glass walls. Outside, a wooden building and green foliage are visible, under a clear blue sky.

A wooden library card catalog with multiple drawers, one of which is open, revealing a collection of index cards. The cards are organized with small tabs and labels visible on the drawer handles.

A vintage industrial control panel with various dials and switches set against a light green surface. There are labeled sections including "Histologie," "Grand Hall," and others. The background is a plain wall with fluorescent lights.

A spacious library with high wooden shelves filled with numerous books. The upper shelves hold large volumes with brown and tan spines, while lower shelves display colorful book covers. A wooden balcony runs alongside the upper level.

A dimly lit dental training room with rows of dental chairs equipped with overhead lights, monitors, and dental instruments. Mannequin heads are positioned on the chairs, simulating patient treatment stations.

A person wearing a green shirt works in a cluttered laboratory filled with various scientific equipment, wires, and pipes. They are adjusting a machine amidst a complex array of instruments and tools.

Student Life

Beyond teaching and research places, the student living spaces are just as varied. Group work areas in libraries, gymnasiums, sports facilities or even CROUS and gardens are all places available to students.

A well-lit common area with large circular lights hanging from the ceiling. People are seated at tables near floor-to-ceiling windows, engaged in study or work. Modern design elements with a corridor leading to other parts of the building.

A gymnast performs a skill on parallel bars inside a spacious gymnasium with high ceilings and large windows. Other athletes and gymnastics equipment are visible in the background.

A person with long hair sits alone at a large workbench in a lab with bright overhead lighting. The room has numerous empty workstations, each with tools and equipment. Skylights illuminate the space.

View from a building's balcony of a green courtyard with two tall conifer trees. In the background, a modern building with wooden panels. A few people walk along the path under a partially cloudy sky.

A modern library interior with wooden accents, featuring multiple levels and bookshelves filled with various books. Large windows on the left allow natural light in, and there are study tables with chairs along the windowed wall.

A digital artwork with abstract geometric shapes and lines in blue, yellow, and green displayed on a wall. To the right, a glass door shows people seated at tables inside a room. The ceiling has linear lights, and the walls are light-colored.

A person jumps with arms outstretched in the center of a sunlit dance studio with large windows and polished wooden floors. Shadows create patterns on the floor, enhancing the sense of movement and space.

University Steps

Often built on several levels, the various Paris University sites have staircases with very varied architectures in terms of style, materials and even colors. Indoors or outdoors, these stairs add a certain graphic touch.

A spacious, sunlit staircase in a building with ornate railings and a tiled floor. A person is walking up the stairs, and large windows allow natural light to fill the area, highlighting the beige walls and intricate design.

A grand interior with a marble staircase and ornate iron railing. A large painting and chandelier adorn the space. Natural light streams through a skylight above, illuminating the beige walls and architectural details. A person is descending the stairs.

Two people ascend a wide staircase with wooden walls and ceilings, lit by modern pendant lights. The stairs feature a dark, glossy finish and wooden handrails, leading to an upper level with a bright, open ambiance.

A person ascends a bright green staircase inside a modern building. Large windows on the right reveal a lush garden outside, with trees and greenery. The ceiling and walls are illuminated in matching green tones.

Modern library interior with red walls featuring a white staircase on the right. On the left, bookshelves and a person browsing. Bright lighting and large windows provide natural light.

A complex, multi-story spiral staircase inside a building, featuring wooden railings and paneled walls. The stairway twists and turns, leading up through several levels, with lighting casting shadows on the walls.

A spiraling staircase with black railings and blue accents is shown from a side angle. Warm wall lighting illuminates the mostly white and light gray walls. Wood flooring is visible on each landing.

View from above of a square spiral staircase. The stairs and landings are tiled in beige, with dark railings. A patterned yellow and white floor is visible at the bottom, creating a geometric and symmetrical visual effect.

Small Hands

Focus here on the people who make Paris University live and work, acting most of the time in the shadow of students and teachers. From the reprography service to the glassblower, including building maintenance and catering, there are so many small hands working to serve the University.

A person working on a network of large, white insulated pipes with green valves in an industrial setting. The room is lit by fluorescent lights, and the floor is concrete. The walls are worn and a small stool is nearby.

A person wearing safety goggles works with glass and a flame torch in a dimly lit workshop. The walls are blue, lined with tools and signs, including "Tesla" and "Radion." The workspace is cluttered with glassware and equipment.

A person with long hair sits at a wooden table in a library, studying a large book filled with detailed sketches of animals. Behind them, bookshelves are lined with numerous books, and portraits hang on the wall above. Green lamps illuminate the room.

A person stands at a large printing machine in a well-lit room with stacks of paper on tables. The walls are lined with cardboard boxes and paper reams. The floor is bright yellow, and there's industrial ventilation visible on the ceiling.

Person wearing gloves and an apron, sorting trays at a cafeteria dish return area. The setting includes a stainless steel counter, wooden paneling, and a sliding tray system.

A person stands facing a gymnasium, viewed through a large indoor window. The gym has basketball hoops and a logo for a university. The ceiling features exposed beams and netting. The person holds a plate and wears a dark shirt.

Memory of Art

Art has an important place within Paris Cité University, through the “Salles des Actes” where thesis defenses are held, museums (medicine, pharmacology, etc.), and works of art (sculptures, paintings, frescoes) marking out the various interior and exterior spaces. A rich heritage as well as an enrichment for students and visitors.

Ornate coffered ceiling with a large, arched mural depicting historical figures in a classical setting. The painting includes a mix of people, trees, and architectural elements, framed by the intricate design of the ceiling.

A marble statue of a draped figure stands between ornate wrought iron railings in a grand staircase setting. The space features stone columns and a detailed coffered ceiling, creating an elegant architectural backdrop.

An ornate conference room with red-carpeted aisles and rows of wooden chairs and tables. The walls are adorned with large, detailed tapestries. The ceiling has intricate geometric patterns and illuminated circular lights. Large windows line the side.

An elegant hall with ornate ceiling and chandeliers, featuring wood paneling and framed portraits on the walls. Rows of green velvet seats line the room, leading to a door at the far end. Warm lighting creates a historic and grand atmosphere.

Ornate museum display room with wooden cabinets and glass cases showcasing various artifacts. The room has high ceilings, large windows, and polished wooden floors, creating a historic and scholarly atmosphere.

A spacious, well-lit museum hall with wooden floors and framed glass cases displaying artifacts. Ornate black railings line the upper gallery. The ceiling features large skylights, and the walls are adorned with decorative woodwork and paintings.

How to Visit the Exhibition

A spacious hall with tall arched windows and ornate architecture features several black display panels. Each panel showcases colorful photographs of modern interior designs. A staircase is visible in the background.

Photos displayed on a black metal fence in an outdoor exhibit. The images are mounted on white boards and feature architectural scenes with varied lighting and angles. The display is set against large stone columns.

The photo exhibition “The Architect University” is free and opened from Monday to Saturday, from January 14 to November 19, 2025. It is located at the University headquarters, 12 Rue de l’École de Médecine, 75006 Paris, France.

It is a 5-minute walk from Notre-Dame Cathedral, but you can also use metro lines M4 and M10 and exit at Odéon station.


About the author: Pierre-Louis Ferrer is a professional infrared photographer who aims to reveal the world beyond the visible. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. To learn more about infrared photography, you can take his infrared workshop in Paris. You can find more of Ferrer’s work on his website, Behance, Facebook, and Instagram.

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