Educational
and Cultural Center

Project description

This project embodies a profound belief: artistic disciplines play a fundamental role in our society and the evolution of contemporary cities. By integrating the Arts into public space, it offers sustainable architecture featuring innovative façades and construction systems.

Cultural and urban integration
Situated in Valenton’s Lutèce neighborhood, the center emerges as a cultural beacon in an area marked by social and urban challenges. Once defined by urban isolation and underutilized public spaces, the neighborhood now boasts a facility that places art and education at the heart of its transformation. The center’s transparent façades create a visual dialogue with the surrounding urban landscape, inviting residents to explore cultural activities. The innovative “micro-folie” space bridges the gap between local and global culture, offering digital exhibitions sourced from world-renowned museums. These features democratize access to art, fostering a sense of cultural pride and engagement within the community.

A flexible and Innovative Concept
The building is organized around a central “black box” dedicated to performances and a surrounding “white ribbon” housing exhibition, reception, and rehearsal spaces.

• The “black box”: at the center, is a highly flexible space: a large studio with natural zenithal lighting that transforms into a performance hall with a seating capacity ranging from 300 to 600. Its flexibility allows for diverse scenographic configurations, reimagining the audience’s relationship with the performance.
• The “white ribbon”: around the black box, the educational and rehearsal spaces open widely onto the public realm, enriching the daily lives of residents through artistic engagement. These include music rooms, a recording studio, a mini-theater, an arts and crafts room, a cooking workshop with its own garden, and a toy library. These spaces are showcased like living canvases, accompanying residents in their daily activities.

The main façade, with its generously glazed entrance hall, invites the public to enter and discover the “micro-folie,” an innovative space offering digital exhibitions from famous museums.

Bioclimatic Design
The project embraces high-performance bioclimatic and energy-efficient principles:

• Natural ventilation and lighting in all activity spaces.
• Strong compactness and thermal inertia through a green roof and terracotta façades.
• Rainwater harvesting, geothermal energy, and integrated photovoltaic panels.

The building demonstrates a low-carbon strategy, featuring a mixed woodconcrete structure and timber-framed façades clad in white glazed terracotta. Designed specifically for this project, the concave terracotta modules combine elegance, durability, and thermal performance.
Bio-sourced materials, such as hemp-cotton insulation and wooden and fabric panels, further enhance the ecological approach. Additionally, the landscaping plan includes a public square, a tree-lined pedestrian promenade, and the greening of the semi-buried façade of the parking area.

Impact : A project that inspires new horizons
The Educational and Cultural Center transforms Valenton’s identity, fostering. cultural engagement and social cohesion. By making Art and education accessible to all, it offers a visionary blueprint for integrating culture into urban renewal.