Cultural Center by OFF Architecture
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Project: Cultural Center
Designed by OFF architecture
Location: Cugnaux, France
Website: www.offarchitecture.com
Cugnaux is a low density city that has an iconic historical downtown near by Toulouse. Its urban network is suffering: the streets are unorganized, the shopping areas and services are split, the public spaces are useless and inappropriate. The impact of the project had to be strong and radiate beyond the limits of Cugnaux, until the crown of Toulouse. Continue for more after the jump:
Designed by OFF architecture
Location: Cugnaux, France
Website: www.offarchitecture.com
Cugnaux is a low density city that has an iconic historical downtown near by Toulouse. Its urban network is suffering: the streets are unorganized, the shopping areas and services are split, the public spaces are useless and inappropriate. The impact of the project had to be strong and radiate beyond the limits of Cugnaux, until the crown of Toulouse. Continue for more after the jump:
It had to be a symbolic regional place for cultural exchanges and initiate an urban renewal for the city. But at the same time, the project should not break the scale of the neighborhood – mainly consisting of a low density suburban fabric entangled in a dense vegetation. We developed a high and compact building (36mx36mx18m) that can be seen from all over the city. Indeed, it can be seen, located, identified from far and interacts with the old city church’s bell.
A movement on the ground floor organizes all outdoor and public spaces around the project. Thereby, a quality green landscaped park offers undulating hills to shelter actual or potential programs such as the parking or any garage sale, outside lounge, picnic… On the other hand, the vegetal canopy helps to break and adapt the scale of the building to the surroundings: the thin and long stems trees frame its height.
The main entrance of the building is served by a public square. It establishes a strong link between the building and the city and naturally leads the public to the lobby. Therefore, located on the ground floor, the spacious glazed hall is like an extension of the court allowing a smooth flow of circulations. A “summer open position” creates a large lobby open to the outside, blurring even more the limits between interior and exterior. – from OFF Architecture
The main entrance of the building is served by a public square. It establishes a strong link between the building and the city and naturally leads the public to the lobby. Therefore, located on the ground floor, the spacious glazed hall is like an extension of the court allowing a smooth flow of circulations. A “summer open position” creates a large lobby open to the outside, blurring even more the limits between interior and exterior. – from OFF Architecture
