On Wednesday, Legendre’s Île-de-France teams officially launched the construction of the Children’s Brain Institute with a groundbreaking ceremony held on site. To mark the occasion, French President Emmanuel Macron, accompanied by Brigitte Macron and Minister of Health Stéphanie Rist, attended the event to celebrate the start of this landmark project.
Led by AP-HP (Paris Public Hospitals Group) and designed by AIA Life Designers, this future facility will bring together an outpatient hospital dedicated to consultations and cutting-edge research spaces, uniting medical and scientific teams within a center of excellence focused on children’s health. Directly adjacent to Robert-Debré Hospital, the new Institute will be connected to the existing buildings through a network of galleries and walkways, ensuring seamless medical, logistical, and human flows.
For Legendre’s teams, this project represents a major technical and organizational challenge: delivering a 14,000 m² state-of-the-art healthcare facility on a highly constrained site. The terrain’s configuration, characterized by a three-level elevation difference, requires a carefully planned construction sequence. From an operational standpoint, the works must ensure the continuity of healthcare activities while minimizing disruption for patients, staff, and local residents. Significant measures will therefore be implemented to control noise, manage dust, and optimize logistics throughout the construction process.
Among the project’s key features:
– Geothermal energy piles integrated into the foundations will contribute to heating during winter and cooling the entrance hall in summer.
– A 140-meter-long architectural concrete façade incorporating curved forms will be constructed.
– Reinforced concrete façades providing essential acoustic protection from the nearby ring road will be installed.
– Several steel structures will be fabricated and erected by OMS Construction Métallique.
– Timber-frame façades will be supplied by our trusted partner CCL Construction.
An ambitious project dedicated to advancing children’s health, for which Legendre’s teams are proud to contribute their expertise to the delivery of a facility of excellence.
Scheduled completion: Q2 2028
Client:
AP-HP (Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris)
Design Team:
AIA Life Designers
Photo: President Emmanuel Macron and Guillaume Boudieux, Architect at AIA Life Designers © AIA Life Designers Architecture
