The
courtyard was eventually covered by an iron-and-glass roof that permitted
the display of plaster casts. The walls of the courtyard were painted
strong in Neo-Grec patterns by Ernest-Georges Coquart, Duban's successor
as architect (see right). Perhaps the most beautiful parts of the
Ecole are the forecourts (above), laidout by Duban in 1832-40, leading
to the Palais d'Etudes from the rue Bonaparte. As an exercise in
the marche, they represent a sensitivity to the concept of creating a voyage.
This
is also extremely pertinent to the concept of fostering a community atmosphere
within such an institution that amplified the interaction between students
and their "maitres" and the design products themselves in the sense of
exhibition areas. With specific reference to the site I have selected,
this intricate massing formula testifies to the potential of maximizing
the site constraints in terms of both size and existing structure to maximize
the atmosphere and belonging of the facilities developed.