In the heart of Paris, near the Place de la Bastille, ENSCI occupies a building which has a distinctive historic past. The renowned decorator Jansen employed 500 arts and craftsmen within these walls from 1922 to 1979 in his studios and workshops. The Ministry for Culture acquired the building to set up the School and undertook the necessary renovations.

ENSCI, while opening up to contemporary technology, has voluntarily maintained the spirit of these former studios and workshops. Training is based as much on work in the project studios and workshops (wood, metal, plastics, textiles) as on learning about digital technology, image and sound.

The studios and workshops are open, under certain circumstances, seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day so that students can meet deadlines and work when necessary around the clock to materialize their projects.