The sports centre seeks a balance and establishes a dialogue with the European School, located in the Robertsau district near the European Parliament and the European Court of Human Rights.
The volumes of the two halls (multi-sports hall and multi-purpose hall) are dissociated and angled, which makes it possible to set the larger hall in an ideal position: perpendicular to the street, on the northern edge of the site, its position minimises the building’s impact on the site. The full depth of the site is used; the shorter side of the building gives onto the street, making it more porous in relation to the landscape.
The entrance hall is transparent, allowing sight from the forecourt through to the wood at the back of the site. The elements of the programme form a crown, with changing rooms and other premises surrounding the two halls and providing views both to the outside and among themselves. The project makes careful use of rough, durable materials: architectural concrete, galvanised steel, glass and linoleum. The multi-sports hall plays on the grey shades of these materials.
The building lies on a north/south line, which is the best way to control natural light, while large expanses of polycarbonate provide and disperse gentle, even light throughout the hall, with no risk of dazzling or inconveniencing users. Particular attention has also been paid to the acoustic: up to a person’s height, the walls are faced with perforated coloured MDF panels, and the entire ceiling has been treated. The square multi-purpose hall is designed to contrast with the rest of the building.
The varnished oak parquet floor laid in a checkerboard pattern curves upwards at the wall, and the upper part of the walls are flocked with acoustic plaster. The coffered ceiling repeats the checkerboard design of the floor. The entire double height of the hall is coloured dark green, enhancing the warmth of the oak.
Depending on the light, the variations in grey featured in the project range from milky and rough to transparent and reflecting: perception evolves as the day draws on, setting up a valuable dialogue with nature.
By Dominique Coulon & associés
