Le Cellier
François Lichtlé

Le Cellier

l'escaut architectures as Architects

The conversion of a former champagne house - "Jacquart cellars" - into a new cultural pole in Reims aims to fundamentally transform the building by adapting it to its new functions and its new public status. The project focuses on the strengths of the building: the unique spaces as basements or the main hall, the presence of raw original materials and an imposing architectural heterogeneity.


The Anchorage The "Jacquart cellars" as called by locals, is a symbol of Champagne-related activity in the heart of the city of Reims. For many years the production and sale of the champagne have greatly contributed to the economic development of Reims and eventually became an important source for local pride. Just as the showcases of other large champagne houses like Mumm, Veuve-Clicquot, Fournier, Jacquart, Le Cellier appears gloriously in the street with its art nouveau facade where drawings of mosaics describe different phases of the production of champagne from grape harvesting to the champagne distribution into bottles. On the other hand, the facade does not betray the "treasure" of the building - its three levels of underground vaults which make a part of a bigger basement network that scopes far beyond the perimeter of the current property. The regulations regarding that kind of public establishment forbids the public access to the two lowest levels of the basement. However, it is occupied by an indoor climate system that serves to cool or heat the building by using the almost constant temperature of the basement.


The common ground The building accommodates three different functions: education, exhibition and performance. Each of them has specific needs in terms of space occupation and frequency of the activities and visitors. These functions are divided into separate areas with independent accesses but all revolve around the main hall - the physical and figurative heart of the project. The variety of activities can take place independently of each other, either passing one another or rejoining. For example, when organizing bigger festivals, all of the rooms could be interconnected and would transform all of the “Le Cellier” into a cultural hive.


An unfinished chapter of the building The re-appropriation of such place required some substantial physical transformations of the existing architecture in order to adapt the premises to the new functions that will take place. While no transformations are allowed on the main façade as its strictly protected, the interior becomes the issue of a visible reconfiguration that intends to remain recognizable, seeking to preserve the traces of demolitions and reconstructions. This intention of such an architectural sincerity is inspired by the new attitude towards the protected heritage. The building rehabilitation combines and reveals various periods of construction, from the large volumes, built in 1896, initially dedicated to the champagne’s trading and now used for the performance hall, to the contemporary structural interventions in order to support the existing framework. The architecture of the performance hall strongly refers to the monumental gate of the patrimonial façade, as its symmetry and monumental gate is reproduced inside, meanwhile the large structural concrete arches remain visible as well. In opposition, the broadcast room proves its new intervention by the presence of the impressive porticos in reinforced concrete. The building resembles to be sitting well in the space, "already there", heterogeneous both in terms of its historical development and in the use of the materials. Most often, the masonry walls consist of various compositions: large blocks of chalk, bricks, etc. On the other hand, the reinforced concrete, tiles and textile wall coverings are very present too. In this sense, the rehabilitation of the building stays very distinct about the materials maintained and newly introduced. The contemporary interventions act both in nuance and in contrast: heavy masonry would be painted in white while the lighter partitions would be covered in fir panels. Some singular spaces are highlighted by using brass. These spaces would namely be the far ends of the cellars, the kinetic wall of the main hall that deploys the public areas from the cultural center by pivoting, the volume that serves for access to the spiral staircase… The building proves to have no shame for neither presenting the constituent materials, nor its technical installations. No layers of the surfaces were doubled unless strictly necessary for acoustic implementations. Therefore, the ceiling and the walls do not seek to hide the utility lines, electricity or ventilation pipes. This is one of the important elements to extend the architectural concept, where the technical networks are an important part of the architecture as in any other industrial buildings.

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