42 Paris

Paris 17E // 1600m^²

sectorTech

Break the mold

An experience design project

We are delighted to have worked with Factory. The spaces designed for the new 42 Paris campus allow students to fully enjoy their environment, while giving each area a strong and iconic identity.

Grégoire Martinez
Managing Director of 42 Paris

Learn to code, break the codes. This is the bold promise of Ecole 42, a school determined to challenge all the conventions of traditional education.

In Paris, as on its international campuses, there are no lectures, no teachers, no classrooms only a project-based pedagogy built on peer-to-peer learning and gamification.

So when 42 approached us to design the living spaces of their new Paris campus, we couldn't say no !

Living spaces: the beating heart of the project

The team in charge wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to us, as we had already had the chance to collaborate with them a few years ago. Building on that first experience, they reached out to us again to bring the iconoclastic spirit of École 42 to life in the living spaces from the dining areas and reception to the student association room and internal team spaces.

In total, we designed 8 key spaces covering over 1,600 square meters, all guided by one core principle: embodying 42’s vision rooted in collaboration, hands-on practice, and autonomy.

Injecting a fun and offbeat DNA into the spaces

For our guiding thread, we drew inspiration from 42 itself, particularly from Douglas Adams' book The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

A must-read for all science fiction fans, this cult classic masterfully blends a futuristic universe with absurd humor and social satire.

The novel notably mocks the search for the meaning of life, the universe, and everything else—whose answer is always… 42. Our challenge was to infuse this unique DNA, both playful and offbeat, throughout all the spaces.

Spaces, Unique Universes

We approached the 8 spaces as distinct universes to be brought to life, placing experience and user interaction at the heart of each design. From the reception onward, the desk’s design seems to invite every visitor and student to ‘come aboard’ the adventure and reconnect with the collective, symbolized by an interactive wall featuring the school’s alumni.

For the dining areas, we developed three radically different concepts: a Japanese-themed space referencing manga culture popular in the tech world; a skate park-inspired concept that echoes the street art scattered throughout the school; and a third inspired by ‘La Piscine,’ the formidable selection challenge at 42. Deliberately interpreted in a literal way, these spaces were designed to leave a strong impression on students and strengthen their sense of belonging to the place.

Promoting interaction and sensory experiences

Aware that the brain works better in motion, we wanted to create a sense of flow within the spaces, offering concrete, sensory experiences to be lived in real life.

The climbing wall in the lounge area is enhanced with an interactive game that creates various routes. We also installed a giant Connect Four to encourage students to interact with each other. Gamification becomes real, tangible, and allows everyone to truly engage with the space.

An experience design project

A groundbreaking project for Factory that gave us the opportunity to showcase our full expertise in experience design. At the inauguration, it was a real joy to see both the teams and the students so happy to discover a campus that truly reflects their identity.

Each space has found its place and identity within a clear, fluid environment deeply rooted in 42’s DNA.

A team of experts to bring this unique project to lifeA team of experts to bring this unique project to life

Summary sheet

sectorTech

area1600m^²

placeParis 17E

delivery2025

Engaged Expertises

Experience Design.
Furniture and Decoration.
Concept & Storytelling.
Architectural Concept.

Customized workspaces
The creation of personalized and adaptive workspaces that automatically adjust to individual employee preferences and needs, including lighting, temperature, furniture arrangement, etc.
Employee well-being and health
Initiatives focused on the physical and mental well-being of employees, such as relaxation areas, fitness facilities, health and wellness programs, flexible work schedules, and leave policies.
Hybrid spaces
The creation of versatile work environments that provide a combination of collaborative spaces, concentration zones, meeting rooms, and relaxation areas, allowing employees to adapt to various types of tasks and needs.
Technology and innovation
The integration of advanced technologies into the work environment, such as online collaboration tools, smart home technology, virtual or augmented reality, to facilitate communication, productivity, and user experience.

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