Why Students Love the Buildings of AUP
The learning spaces offered by AUP are unique - in the 60 years since AUP's founding, the university has expanded to seven different buildings across the 7th arrondissement to help accommodate the 1200 students it hosts from around the world. And being surrounded by some of the most historic buildings in Paris in the 7th arrondissement, students are quick to notice the green spaces and gardens that the different university buildings sit in between.
But of the buildings AUP has, and their immediate surroundings, what do AUP students like so much about campus?
The Grenelle Building
Photo Credit: Anastassia de Bailliencourt
The green spaces that surround the Grenelle building are a favorite of Tori d'Einstein, a first year student at AUP. She said that for her, the fact that the building is hidden away by vines and trees is a huge plus.
Originally built only 30 years ago, and renovated in 2016, it's hidden just behind the Église Protestante St-Jean. Despite it's modern looks, though, some students said that it looks more like a hospital than a set of classrooms, with it's modern style of architecture generally being criticized for a lack of humanity and warmth.
For former transfer student Michelle Riley, it was her favorite building at AUP. “Coming from America, where college campuses are typically sequestered from the rest of the surrounding area, I adore attending classes in a building that shares a compound with a greenhouse, a garden, a church and a children’s playground," she said. "This building carries a lot of charm and certainly makes for great people-watching as all these different groups converge.”
La Tour Maubourg
Photo Credit: Anastassia de Bailliencourt
AUP alumni Eugenio Minvielle said that La Tour Maubourg is his favorite AUP building. “It has quite a unique shape and style. It's clean, not homogeneously flat. The stone railing on the stone walls give it texture and those little supports below the first floor imitate the Greek ionic order which are nice.”
As the administration building of AUP, it has a variety of different offices to help students as they start their school year. Inside, you can find the admissions office, the president's office and the student accounting office, to name a few.
Minvielle's favorite things about La Tour Maubourg were the exact things he said were missing from his least favorite building, Passage Landrieu. According to him, it “looks like those temporary shelter is set up near construction sites that contemporary building all homogeneous and flat made entirely of concrete walls and metal windows frame as well as a solid metal door which gives the whole building a very industrial feel.”
Combes Student Life Center
Photo credit: Anastassia de Bailliencourt
Some students prefer the Combes building, pointing to its big framed windows and large amounts of natural lighting in the classrooms.
Of course, inside the Combes building is another reason for it to be the favorite - the Amex. The old Amex was located in the Bosquet Building, which is unfortunately not part of AUP anymore, but now students enjoy a gated cafe at the Combes building for all their lunch and hangout needs.
Attached to the Combes building is the Quai D'Orsay building, which is often confused as the Combes building as they are very similar in their structure. According to AUP student Delaney Callaghan, the Quai building, "has the most interactive elements. The fact that it’s right next to the Combes building makes it very convenient to get to class.” In the Quai D'Orsay building, there are a mix of professionals and tutors that can help students with their research, writing skills, and to help them plan for their careers.
Whatever AUP building is your favorite, exploring campus can be a great pastime for new students, and knowing the different resources available for students can be a major asset during your time at AUP.
