Municipal Theatre

Fontenay-sous-Bois, France

Client

MUNICIPALITY OF FONTENAY-SOUS-BOIS

Project team

Architect: WILMOTTE & ASSOCIÉS
Engineer: CET INGÉNIERIE
Scenography: CHANGEMENT A VUE
Acoustics: PEUTZ & ASSOCIÉS

Surface area

3,296 sqm

Year

2023

Program

Construction of the municipal theatre of Fontenay-sous-Bois.

The project goes beyond the simple fact of constructing a building capable of hosting theatrical performances; it is intended to be a catalyst for the town planning intentions of the municipality of Fontenay-sous-Bois.

The site is occupied by the Jacques Brel multi-purpose hall; to respect this presence, a compact and identifiable volumetry comes to dialogue, by its geometry, in a frank way with the existing. The project is designed around the concept of variable volumetrics where each element of the program is materialized by an identifiable volume that reacts and positions itself according to its environment. Thus, depending on the orientation of the facade, the construction becomes permeable, hermetic, welcoming for visitors or confidential. The theatre and the Jacques Brel hall are linked by the foyer which connects their respective halls.

The stage cage, which represents a 19m high opaque volume, is at the centre of the functional organisation, it is the heart of it. The rest of the programme linked to the operation of the theatre, broken down into smaller volumes, is naturally organised around the stage house, helping to reduce its mass effect.