National Rugby Center

Project description

Construction, extensions, and various renovations of the National Rugby Center

An architecture integrated into the landscape matrix and the topography of the Bellejame park
In 1999, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) decided to establish a national technical center. They chose a site of great natural richness, located in the heart of Bellejame Park, split in two by the Salmouille stream. The preservation of the park’s poetic qualities was the driving concept of the development project, giving rise to a program split into built or landscaped entities. The five sports fields are located on the upper part of the site, on the grounds of the former agricultural land. The XV de France Residence is situated on the site of the former Château de la Comtesse de Bellejame in the lower part of the park. The restaurant, connected to the XV de France Residence, opens to the West, facing the preserved mirror pond. The gymnasium, embedded in the hillside, emerges like a floating lantern in the landscape. All of these elements are connected to the central axis of the site, which aligns the entrance to the National Rugby Center with the Montlhéry tower on the slope of a hill.

Design of an Ecological Built Landscape
We aimed to preserve the balance and connections between the blue framework (water elements) and the green framework (vegetation elements) throughout the project. The runoff water from the natural and landscaped spaces is collected by a system of landscaped swales. The sports fields are drained, and their water is stored in an open retention basin located in the lower part of the site. This basin serves as a stormwater basin, preventing overflow from the Salmouille stream. The collected water is then reused for irrigating the sports fields and landscaped areas. To ensure that this basin remains a permanent water feature, a drilled pile was created 750 meters deep, reaching an underground water table that is not subject to water extraction restrictions for irrigation.
Finally, it seemed obvious to us to shape the buildings with natural materials. Stone, untreated wood, woven fabric, earth/cement mixtures, and glass were used to delicately shape simple and contemporary volumes emerging from the Bellejame park.

A Sports and Life Venue Designed on the Functional Model of the Former Large Estate
It is essential to understand that a National Sports Center is not only a place for sports but also a place for living. It is frequented by the French national team and FFR leaders, but also by club teams on training camps, as well as companies hosting meetings, business lunches, and sports-related conferences. The key to the functional success of the National Rugby Center (CNR) lies in the ability of the project to accommodate these different groups without interference.
From their residence, the French team players can access all the spaces dedicated to them. If they wish to meet and interact with other groups at the CNR, a bar area accessible to everyone serves as a link between the private area of the XV de France and the restaurant.