The PSG Campus has officially opened in Poissy, replacing the Camp des Loges after over fifty years. This 59-hectare facility features advanced training amenities for both men’s and women’s teams, along with a training academy for youth. Designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the campus includes 16 training pitches, educational institutions, and an organic garden. The design emphasizes integration with nature, sustainability, and community, fostering a nurturing environment for athletes and their families.
Welcome to the New PSG Campus
Farewell, Camp des Loges, and hello to the innovative Campus PSG! After over fifty years at the renowned training facility in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, the Parisian club has opted for a new location just ten kilometers to the west in Poissy. This marks a historic milestone as, for the first time, the campus will accommodate both the men’s and women’s teams alongside 140 promising talents from the training academy. The mastermind behind this stunning 59-hectare facility, architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, has crafted a unique environment in Europe where state-of-the-art sports amenities blend harmoniously with expansive green areas. The landscape features nearly 4,000 trees and over a million perennials, creating an ultra-modern football campus that boasts 16 training pitches, each designated for different teams, along with 150,000 square meters devoted to training. Additionally, the campus includes a middle school, a high school with an impressive 95% baccalaureate pass rate, and a 3.5-hectare organic garden that supplies a substantial portion of the meals for the athletes. This monumental endeavor has been in development since 2016.
The Vision Behind the PSG Campus
The inauguration of the PSG Campus on Thursday, November 21, follows three years of dedicated work. Jean-Michel Wilmotte reflects on what this project signifies: “This achievement is the culmination of a comprehensive process that began in July 2016 when we accepted PSG’s tender invitation. We secured the project in 2017, and by the next year, we had submitted our initial building permits. A team of around twenty professionals from the Wilmotte & Associés agency played vital roles at various stages of this infrastructure’s development.”
What set your proposal apart from others? According to Wilmotte, “PSG was drawn to our holistic approach to the training center and our thoughtful integration into its surroundings. Our architectural vision was not merely about erecting a facility for champions; it was about infusing the project with meaning.”
The design philosophy centered on nature, with the topography shaping the campus’s final form, featuring a 30-meter elevation difference that is significant. Wilmotte explains, “This presented a unique challenge, prompting us to innovate beyond the initial ambitions of the club.”
The initial concept was to create a unified training center for male, female, and youth teams, which could have resulted in a massive, chaotic structure due to elevation challenges. Instead, they envisioned distinct areas—one for girls, one for boys, and one for youth—connected through spacious pathways converging at the central Campus House, fostering a sense of community.
The building for Ligue 1 players is strategically positioned at the highest point of the campus. Wilmotte emphasizes, “It was essential. During our first site visit, I confidently declared that the professionals would be housed here. This location symbolizes aspiration for the younger players, serving as a beacon of their dreams.”
Returning to the realm of football after completing the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice in 2013, Wilmotte and his team researched training centers across Europe, observing that while facilities were often top-notch, space was limited. “Many centers were built without adequate foresight for expansion,” he notes, which is why the PSG Campus was designed to allow for a 30-40% increase in area in the future. The emphasis was on creating a nurturing environment where players would feel at home, encouraging them to stay on-site with their families.
Green spaces play a vital role in the PSG Campus, covering thirty hectares and seamlessly integrating with the neighboring Marly forest. Wilmotte explains, “We used 208 different varieties of flora to ensure the campus blends harmoniously with its surroundings. The goal was to create a seamless transition between the campus and the adjacent areas.”
Inside the buildings, the minimalist aesthetic reflects the club’s prestige without being ostentatious. Wilmotte concludes, “The emphasis was on spaciousness and natural light, achieved through understated design. We utilized wood, concrete, and steel, avoiding flashy materials. The challenge was to demonstrate that we could construct facilities for professionals, women, and youth using the same high-quality materials.”