Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer

  • View of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, a compact horizontal volume with corrugated metal façade facing the harbour, set against the hillside town.
  • View of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, a compact horizontal volume in corrugated metal cladding, contrasting with tiled roofs and the coastal skyline.
  • Street view of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, a compact horizontal volume with corrugated metal cladding and ribbon glazing facing the quay.
  • Interior view of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, a dark exhibition corridor lined with illuminated wall aquariums and integrated didactic panels.
  • Interior view of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, with a glazed promenade, timber structure and ceiling framing the harbour and historic buildings.
  • Interior view of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing a timber-clad stair with glass balustrades against a dark, marine-toned wall.
  • View from the Biodiversarium’s perforated metal balcony in Banyuls-sur-Mer, with curved glazed facade overlooking the marina, harbour and surrounding hills.

The Biodiversarium is dedicated to research and to the dissemination of knowledge on Mediterranean biodiversity. Inserted between the cliff and the quay in a heterogeneous context, this compact building adopts a horizontal, abstract volume. Corrugated, micro-perforated metal cladding reinforces this abstraction and captures the changing light of the seafront. The facility stacks aquariums, educational spaces and laboratories around a large vertical circulation space. The visitor route, structured by framed views on the harbour and the horizon, highlights the relationship between science and its subject, the sea.

  • Site plan of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing the compact seafront volume between cliff and harbour, integrated with roads, plots and vegetation.

    Site plan

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  • Ground floor plan of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing compact longitudinal layout of aquariums, labs and service spaces between cliff and quay.

    Ground floor plan

  • Ground floor plan of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing compact longitudinal layout with aquariums, labs, circulation cores and service zones.

    1st floor plan

  • Technical floor plan of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing a compact, orthogonal layout of labs and aquariums around a central stair core.

    3rd floor plan

  • Technical elevation of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing a compact horizontal volume with layered, corrugated metal façade bands.

    North elevation

  • Longitudinal section of the Biodiversarium in Banyuls-sur-Mer, showing stacked aquariums, labs and circulation cores in a compact seafront volume.

    Transverse section

Project details

  • Address
    19 avenue Pierre Fabre, Banyuls-sur-Mer, Pyrénées-Orientales
  • Dates
    2010-2017
  • Programme
    Aquariums, offices, laboratories, projection and conference rooms, exhibition spaces
  • Surface area
    5,461 m2
  • Budget
    7.6 M€
  • Regulatory framework
    RT 2012 – 40 %
  • Notable details
    Wood-concrete hybrid construction

Credits

  • Client
    Université Pierre et Marie Curie – Paris Sorbonne
  • Project management
    Tectoniques (architect, lead), Architecture Environnement (architect), Tectoniques Ingénieurs (cost consultant), Jacques Anglade (timber structure), Igbat&Co (MEP engineering, concrete structure, roads and utilities), ITF (Aquarium engineering firm), Inddigo (sustainability consultant)
  • Photography
    Tectoniques

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