program
Recycling of a disused foundry into a visual arts centre with a classic gallery, multi-purpose room, offices, and a restaurant (Le Serpent, 2013).
constraints
Architecturally intervene in a robust manner, with a minimal budget allowing only for basic upgrades – more than a third of the budget was allocated to structural repairs. Propose an event space other than the traditional “black box”.
proposal
Define and establish areas according to the natural morphology of the space. Frame and define spaces by simple volumes which highlight existing structures. Propose a multi-purpose room whose space is generously lit by light diffused through frosted glass. All original wood fenestration were replaced with contemporary galvanized steel windows which, all the while preserving the building’s industrial character, offer the interior areas of the centre a grand luminous quality, modifiable through the use of mechanized blinds. The central areas are naturally ventilated by motorized openings in the clerestory. Two entrances have been inserted into the structural concrete frame, recessed to offer protection and to respond to building codes. The foundry’s furnace – principal artefact which appears at each of the building’s level up to the roof – has been conserved and becomes the centre’s beacon.