An open-air architectural exhibition
The Cité Internationale perfectly fulfills its primary objectives: welcoming students in conditions that foster their personal growth and encouraging unique and enriching cultural exchanges. Its architectural heritage is also a true gem, enjoyed daily by its residents. However, anyone who ventures onto the campus can experience the same spectacle, if only for an afternoon.
A space where diverse styles coexist
This collection of architectures holds masterpieces by famous architects such as Le Corbusier, Lucio Costa, Willem Marinus Dudok, and Claude Parent. Yet, it would be incomplete without its timeless monuments that adopt a local style, choosing to emphasize national identity. Thus, the Houses from Southeast Asia, Japan, Armenian students, the Abreu de Grancher Foundation (House of Cuba), or the Hellenic Foundation architecture display their marks of belonging to sometimes ancestral architectural traditions, evoking Annamese architecture, adopting Japanese decor, drawing inspiration from Armenian monastery styles, Spanish colonial architecture, or Greek classicism.
When architecture engages in dialogue with artistic and natural heritage
These testimonies mark an era where traditional representations and contemporary expressions come together in a shared creative momentum—the former sometimes conveying innovations, the latter unexpected echoes of the past. The Cité Internationale illustrates this interplay of multiple influences conveyed through architecture and its landscaped environment. Sculpted or engraved decoration, murals, frescoes, tapestries, sculptures, and furniture are all expressions and symbols that celebrate the permanence or renewal of a culture
Three phases of construction
After the first house was inaugurated in 1925—the Fondation Deutsch de la Meurthe—construction accelerated. This initial phase of building was marked by a coexistence of various architectural styles. In less than 15 years, 19 houses were built on the campus.
Despite the severe blow dealt by World War II, pacifist ideals remained as relevant as ever. A restored heritage and 17 new houses made it possible to accommodate up to 5,500 students. It was a time of expansion for the Cité Universitaire.
The new houses built since 2013 reflect the ecological concerns emblematic of our time. They aim for architectural excellence, like all the houses on the campus, and their placement within this heritage site takes into account the existing landscape quality
The houses classed as
historical monuments
Designed by Lucio Costa and Le Corbusier and inaugurated in 1959, the Maison du Brésil was listed as a historical monument on the 4th of November 2011.
The Fondation des Etats-Unis’s large lounge, as well as its decor, were classed as historical monuments on the 10th of September 2009. The Fondation, designed by Pierre Le Prince-Ringuet, was inaugurated in 1930.
The Fondation Avicenne was designed by Claude Parent, André Bloc, Mossem Foroughi and Hedar Cghiain and inaugurated in 1969 and listed as a historical monument on the 29th of October 2008 (building, footprint and landscape).
The only creation of Willem Marinus Dudok in France, the Collège néerlandais, inaugurated in 1938, was classed as a historical monument on the 4th of March 2005.
The Fondation Emile et Louise Deutsch de la Meurthe, designed by Lucien Bechmann and inaugurated in 1925, was included as a historical monument on the 19th of May 1998: the entrance hall, the reception hall (the large lounge), the enclosure and the roofs of the 7 pavilions that make up the Fondation as well as the garden and paved terraces. Since February 2024, the entire central pavilion of the foundation has been listed.
Designed by Le Corbusier in 1933, the Fondation Suisse was classed as a historical monument on the 16th of December 1986. Elements designed by Le Corbusier were also classed as such: the mural in the large lounge, a bench, 10 armchairs, the bench in the vestibule on the first floor and the bench on the staircase landing.
If walls could talk: Discover our podcasts about the architects of Cité
The Cité Internationale also reveals itself through its audio content. Immerse yourself in a spatial and temporal sound journey that tells the story of the iconic architects who left their mark on this campus.
Design objects in Cité
Throughout the 20th century, another language took shape at the heart of the Cité Internationale Universitaire de Paris: the language of design. From its very beginnings, the Cité called upon visionary creators to imagine living spaces that were functional, aesthetic, and suited to a communal and international way of life. Each object tells a story, expressing a worldview where form follows function and comfort fosters community.
Discover our heritage center
Both an exhibition and documentation space, the Heritage Center invites you to explore the history and current developments of the Cité Internationale. Guided tours are organized year-round for groups and individuals by reservation.
