The project concerns the renewal and extension of an existing theater and community center in Carouge, a city near Geneva. The question was whether to maintain and renovate the existing buildings or replace them by a new complex.
By considering the functional and financial aspects of the project, we decided for an intermediate solution: maintain the community center, but replace the existing theater and add a third new volume. The three volumes are covered by new roofs that float amid tree tops, uniting the buildings and open spaces within a single identity.
This constellation of buildings and spaces, varying in age, reinforce the identity of the site and provides a village-like atmosphere. This typology is relevant to the contemporary theater, which no longer is an introverted place for merely watching performances. Rather, it is a buzzing center where an array of activities unfold: naturally performances, but also lectures, exhibitions, educational events, public debates and community gatherings. It is a place to meet, to see and to be seen - an open, dynamic space at the heart of the city.
This open theater concept was developed in detail with dUCKS Scéno.
