Theory: 2 Low-Carbon Ambiances Design in Architecture Lecturer: Nicolas Remy

In response to the climate crisis, architects are called to design spaces that consume less energy and minimize their carbon footprint. This environmental and technical imperative deeply transforms the way ambiances are conceived and experienced. It is not only a matter of performance, but of creating spaces that integrate energy transition while maintaining a strong attention to the sensory and lived qualities of the built environment.

This course offers a sensitive and ecological approach to architectural design through the lens of ambiance. It explores how light, sound, heat and airflow shape spatial experience and contribute to the quality of life in contemporary environments. Drawing on acoustic, thermal and lighting dimensions, the course develops design strategies that reduce energy impact while enriching spatial perception. Ambiances are addressed as an interface between environmental performance, climate transition, and sensory use.

A strong emphasis is placed on learning through practice. Students will engage with simulation tools (thermal, acoustic, lighting) and conduct in situ 1:1 scale physical measurements (light, temperature, sound), developing a technical and perceptual understanding of ambiance. These methods will be applied to a reuse  project of an existing space, combining environmental diagnosis, low-carbon design, and attention to lived experience.