AUP Makes Université History: A Flagship Building for a Global Community

A new chapter is beginning on AUP’s campus, with the arrival of a new building at 127bis-129 rue de l’Université, the renovation of the AMEX Café, and reimagined lobbies for the Combes Student Life Center and the Quai d’Orsay Learning Commons, the largest site on campus.  

Over the last decade, AUP has transformed into a modern, consolidated campus in the heart of the 7th arrondissement, bringing major building renovations, the establishment of the Monttessuy Center for the Arts, and the acquisition of the Quai d’Orsay Learning Commons, complete with an iconic glass roof and vertical garden.  

This year, the University’s campus development project continues under the strategic plan THRIVE. Changes are set to further strengthen the student experience and modernize the work environment for faculty and staff alike. “We have been through the process of enhancing and improving the campus; these projects are the next step in the process,” explains David Horn, Director of Campus Planning and Facilities. 

Joining the Historical Rue de l’Université 

AUP’s newest building, located on 127bis-129 rue de l’Université, will become a flagship for our global community, uniting staff, faculty, student and alumni services, admissions activities and student housing under one roof—just a three minute walk from the Combes Student Life Center. The street itself represents a long line of French academic history, and comes with fascinating neighbors both present and past.    

In the 12th century, the University of Paris acquired a territory along the Seine River, west of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. The students, known in the Middle Ages as clercs, came there to relax during their free time, or more notoriously, to duel one another. The territory came to be known as the Pré-aux-Clercs. In 1639, the University of Paris sold the Pré-aux-Clercs to the city of Paris, and to honor the area’s history, one road was named rue de l’Université.  

Since its medieval origins, rue de l’Université has been home to the National Assembly and the Orsay Gallery, as well as a list of notable residents including Alexandre Dumas, Talleyrand, and Julia Child. 

In 2025, AUP’s new building will feature a wide range of services for faculty, staff and students, including, most notably, the Academic Success Center—a one-stop shop for current students that brings together Career and Internships, Academic Advising, Accommodations, Immigration, Accounting and the Registrar’s. Modern workspaces, designed to encourage co-location and hybrid work, will offer employees greater flexibility. A bistro and terrace will bring classic Parisian flair to the space. A Welcome Center will be fully outfitted to receive outside guests, alumni, and prospective students and their families when arriving on campus. On the upper floors, offices for faculty, the President and Provost will put AUP’s community in closer contact with one another.  

Just next door, an annex of student apartments will provide the University’s first student dorm directly on campus, just steps away from classrooms and the bustle of student life. Twenty spots will become available over the coming year, and a Residential Assistant (RA) will be on site to support the new residents.  

“In moving all the services there, we are creating a hub,” explains Horn who cites campus space as a challenge in a city such as Paris, along with the desire to remain in the 7th arrondissement, which has been part of the University’s identity since its founding in the basement of the American Church in 1962. “Our focus has been on functional space,” he says, “so we knew we needed to make an effort to increase space dedicated to students where they can feel comfortable staying.” 

Updating the AMEX Café, Combes and Quai Buildings 

Since 1979, the AMEX Café has been the beating heart of student life on campus. Last renovated in 2015, Horn says “it was time to refresh and renew it.” And after a decade of continuous growth in AUP’s campus population, students have noted that it has become harder than ever to find a seat.  

Horn and his team have begun revamping the Café’s main dining area and updating the furniture and light fixtures, using the quiet summer months to breathe new life into the style and décor. And with student feedback in mind, the University will expand its food service and offer more spaces for seating, including a renovated outdoor terrace.  

“We wanted to rethink what goes on in our main buildings and make them even more welcoming. We wanted to offer spaces that cater to students’ social needs; spaces where they can just go to hang out that are not necessarily designed for a specific purpose,” explains Horn. 

Inside the Quai d’Orsay Learning Commons, the entire ground floor has been reimagined. Once a quiet walkway leading to the Celeste Schenck Atrium, students will now find an inviting social space, full of comfortable seating options centered around the iconic compass floor mosaic. “With more seating everywhere, the University aims to hand more space over to students, for them to really spend time in” says Horn.  

All changes were planned following consultations with students who helped decision-makers choose the options that resonated with their campus experience. “We have made a real effort to improve AUP’s campus over the last ten years. We’ve turned it around,” reiterates Horn. “The idea is to continue on that continuous path of improvement.”