Le Grand Théâtre des Cordeliers

Le Grand Théâtre des Cordeliers (FR)


LOCATION:
Albi (FR)

ARCHITECT:
Dominique Perrault Architecure

MODEL:
Perseo

MORE INFO:
www.perraultarchitecture.com  (architect)

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In the southern French town of Albi Dominique Perrault has designed a striking new addition to the cityscape – a complementary juxtaposition to the surrounding architecture both in terms of shape and material.

The theatre is a rectilinear structure built largely in concrete and finished in brick and glass.To the solidity of the brick, the architects oppose a smooth and lightweight cover, which dresses up the prism of the theatre. This cover of metal mesh, red copper coloured, which doesn’t rust, takes on the verticality of the building on two sides, and takes away from it on the other sides, to open like a big drop cloth on the theatre place and the cinemas one. The curves and counter curves required for this static mesh create a free, happy and lyric architecture. It is also a metaphor of the drop cloth or the evocation of an opera stage design. This metallic woven skin, reflects the sunlight and acts as a sun break for the large foyers inside. From afar, it shimmers with warm copper-coloured tones that complement the peachy local brick. The building undergoes a transformation at night, however: the screen fades away blending into the darkness to reveal the lights of the building within.

The tinted glass windows beneath the screen have extremely high thermal and acoustical performance and bring the light into the large entrance area. Internally, bricks are used as extensively as externally, on the floors as much as the walls and the ceilings. The building therefore has a very consistent feel. The solidity of the brick is a sharp contrast to the decorative, lightweight cover adorning the theatre.

The theatre boasts a 900-seat auditorium, an experimental hall seating 250, an administration and logistics area, foyers and an independent restaurant. The main auditorium is atmospherically dark, with textured black walls, a dark ceiling, flooring and stage, and dramatic orange seats. This is the venue where we find our PERSEO chair: upholstered in Kvadrat fabric and using a large anti panic tablet totally concealed into the standard of the chair.

The Dominique Perrault design team have not just built a theatre and cinema, they have created a new point of interest for the town – a venue that brings people together whether they are attending a performance or not.

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