Chemin Long Gymnasium

Project description

A true bioclimatic gymnasium, its glued laminated wood structure is covered by an ultra-high-performance envelope of raw materials: brick, glass and raw aluminum. Widely open to the public space, it contributes to the urban redevelopment of the district, and to the promotion of sport at the heart of the Bordeaux metropolis. The large sports arena, specifically dedicated to top-level volleyball, is part of the project’s commitment to high-level sporting performance.

Situated in the heart of a pavilion-style urban fabric, the new gymnasium is part of the Mérignac Chemin Long urban development project led by Bordeaux Métropole. It is part of the urban redevelopment of a structuring block that will house the district’s two new public facilities, the Rosa Bonheur school group and the Gymnasium.

The spatially highly constrained site has led to a compact design, with all functional units superimposed on one another, with the exception of the large multi-sports hall. The gymnasium is aligned with the street, at the north-west corner of the block, to position the outdoor sports area in continuity with the school playground.

This makes it an eminently urban sports facility, based on the urban shape of a corner building, with a staged entrance at the junction of rue du Pradas and avenue de l’Alouette.

Composed of a solid mineral base aligned with the street, and a lighter, taller volume set back from it, the gymnasium is an extension of the school.
Its beige brick base, echoing the tone of Bordeaux limestone, is precisely aligned with the school’s R+1 massing.
The volume of the large multi-sports hall, much higher to reach the required 9m under structure, is set back from the plinth. Its unfinished aluminum facades give it an evanescent appearance that blurs into the sky behind the brick base.

At the corner of rue du Pradas and avenue de l’alouette, the gymnasium delicately assumes its status as a public facility.
The main entrance is set off on the north façade, to form an urban signal. The large glass panel identifies the double-height hall from the public space, and offers a visual escape towards the Salle Multisports.

When night falls, the swarming light emanating from the glass/brick double skin overlooking the adjoining sports hall and reception room gives the new gymnasium a subtle, elegant nocturnal presence.
The urban appeal thus created enhances the appeal of this sports facility. A place of synergy open to the city, attractive to its citizens, giving sport a clear place at the heart of the metropolis.

The gymnasium asserts a contemporary architectural style, fashioned exclusively from noble materials: brick, glass, raw aluminum and wood. Its facades create porosities and generous visual openings towards the main multi-sports arena and the social room, while the brick moucharabiehs reveal the silhouettes of the athletes.

From a spatial point of view, we designed the building as an “ultra-functional” tool for high-performance sports, but also for schools and associations. The gymnasium offers a clear, compact layout, with a double-height hall that distributes the Grande Salle Multisports, the Salle Polyvalente, the Plateau Sportif Extérieur and the changing rooms on the first floor. On the second floor, it serves the public bleachers and the Salle de Convivialité.

The large 50x35m indoor sports arena can be configured in 3 different ways: a complete 50x35m arena with 250 seats, 2 competition volleyball courts with 500 seats or 1 competition volleyball court with 750 seats.  

The outdoor sports arena, which runs alongside the school playground, can be used safely by schoolchildren, and is open to the public independently on Wednesdays and weekends. It features a running ring, an outdoor multisports field, a “sports wall” with a ball zone and a climbing course, as well as cave-like bleachers on the east façade of the gymnasium, which become a playful backdrop for the playground.

The new gymnasium is part of a highly demanding E3C2 environmental carbon-energy program. Energy is generated by a geothermal boiler and photovoltaic panels. It features extensive use of wood, both for the structure and for all interior cladding, offering not only a high-performance carbon strategy, but also a warm, contemporary interior ambience. The design of the structure of the large multi-sports hall features north-facing sheds with integrated photovoltaic panels on the south-facing side, providing perfectly uniform 300lux lighting across the entire sports complex. All other activity rooms also benefit from generous, diffused natural lighting. All areas are equipped with double-flow ventilation, coupled with natural ventilation for secure night-time cooling and optimum summer comfort.