The Collège du Belvédère stands on a large plot on the western edge of the Montbenon moraine, between Avenue de Tivoli, Avenue du Belvédère and Chemin des Croix-Rouges. It was built between 1952 and 1965 by architect Marc Piccard (1905-1989), who won the planning competition for its construction in 1948.
Similarly to the Bellerive swimming pool complex he completed in 1936-37, Marc Piccard took full advantage of the topography of the site. Instead of building an overbearing mass – the building was intended for use by 1600 pupils – he spread the various buildings out over the site in a number of low-rise units connected by a network of covered playgrounds, paths and staircases. In the centre, the curved lines of the atrium make it a stand-out feature. A number of separate tree-lined esplanades are available for the various age groups of pupils.
The architecture plays on the structural and malleable properties of concrete, combining it with wood, glass and metal. It includes a number of works of art – a concrete relief on the façade, bronze statues in the parks and wall murals inside the building.
