The school prepares students using diverse professional exercise methods and its specially known for its urban design teachings.

Architect Jean Castex was one of the school's founders, while Nicolas Michelin (co-founder of the group Labfac) was the managing director from 2001 to 2009.

It organizes public conferences of researchers and theoreticians: Jean-Pierre Chupin, William J.R. Curtis, Antoine Grumbach ... Board members: Jean Castex, David Mangin, Frédéric Borel, Gilles Clément, Jorge Orta, Antoine Picon, Paola Viganò, Jean-Philippe Vassal.

Each year, the ensav organises international workshops around the world (Isaphan, Dakar, Kyoto, Rome, Rio, Delft, Shangai, Casablanca...).

Past editions have been supervised by Hans Walter Muller, Tadashi Kawamata, Campana brothers, Miquel Barcelo, Lucy et Jorge Orta or Tomas Saraceno.

[7] Some of the lecturers were Antoine Picon, Carlo Ratti, Arthur Mamou Mani, Philippe Rahm (ENSAV teacher).