Sports Center Hector Berlioz

The challenge was to change the old indoor swimming pool from the 60th to a modern multi-sport facility with shared use for the denizen of Vincennes and pupils of the high school next door.
The solution consists in creating a real “showcase” for sportive activities by designing a glass base on topped by a copper cladded volume.
The copper skin adds depth and gives the building a lighter and more elegant look. As time goes by, its colour changing into green, the building will assimilate the “language” of the planted wall shared on the west, also present through the green roof of the complex.

A solution had to be found in order to “announce” the equipment from the very extremity of the pathway where the entry is situated, as well as to highlight its functional diversity in the middle of the surrounding buildings. The centres visibility is strengthened through the design of the pathway leading to its entry. A red coating with white lines let one think of a running race track and invite to discover the glazed façade of the entrance telling the inhabitants of Vincennes “Let’s be sport”. The glazed ground floor base illuminates at night creating an effect of transparencies that make the copper volume seem to float on top.
All the halls are designed for competition activities. The gym and the box training hall on level -1 are naturally lit by a continuous range of windows oriented to the pathway. A zenithal window tape on the maintenance free green roof provides additional natural light to the 2 halls. The martial arts training hall is situated towards the courtyard of the high-school and equally equipped with large windows in the upper part. On the first floor are situated the judo hall with 2 tatamis and a fully equipped fitness room combined with changing facilities, showers and some small offices dedicated to the administrative staff of the sport clubs. The second floor is entirely occupied by the basketball hall. A floating oak sport parquet covers the floor. The storage for sport material is separated from the sport field by wooden wall bars. Natural balanced light is provided by sheds integrated in the roof. Covered with double glazed windows they allow the evacuation of hot air in summer and prevent the hall from overheating. On the last two ranges of sheds 10 solar panels are fixed supporting the heating and warm water production of the building. All interior walls of the sport halls received acoustic treatment and where necessary shock-treatment.

Competition 06 | 2010
Start of planning 10 | 2010
Start of construction 09 | 2011

Surface 3 620 m²