ENSCI – Les Ateliers

Introduction

Founded in the early 1980s and located on rue Saint-Sabin, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, ENSCI – Les Ateliers is the only French public institution exclusively dedicated to design. It operates under the joint supervision of the ministries in charge of culture and industry, reflecting its mission: to train designers capable of engaging with the industrial world, craftsmanship, research and institutions.

Pedagogy and disciplines

The school primarily prepares students for the diplôme de créateur industriel (awarded at master's level) and also offers training in textile design, as well as postgraduate and third-cycle programs oriented toward innovation, research and contemporary technologies.

Its distinctiveness lies in the organization of studies: there are no year-based cohorts, but rather an individualized path. Each student builds their curriculum around project workshops, experimental studios, theoretical courses (humanities, economics, science and technology) and partnerships with companies or laboratories.

The school is also known for its technical workshops: wood, metal, plastic materials, ceramics, textile, photo/video and digital fabrication, which make prototyping a central tool of the project-based approach.

Landmarks

Among the designers who have passed through ENSCI are notably Matali Crasset, Patrick Jouin, Jean-Marie Massaud, Inga Sempé and Ionna Vautrin.

Admission is by competitive examination, with possible entry routes both after the baccalauréat and after a first experience of higher education.