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Scales of Interaction - A Community Hall for Villeurbanne

Part 1 Project 2012
Catherine Mollett
 Cardiff University | UK

Villeurbanne is proudly a town of its own, a political stronghold for the left and an area of multicultural and industrial heritage. This project looks at the way events are used as a catalyst for interaction between the many ethnic groups through a rich diary of cultural festivals. It acts as a central meeting point, a stage from which Villeurbanne can express its unique cultural outlook.

The project began by exploring three ‘scales of interaction’ that might occur on the site; the ‘ceremonial’, where the whole square would become animated; the ‘institutional’, where the community hall served its day to day functions and the ‘furniture’, that would allow for intimate interaction.

Physically, the hall acts as a fragment on the square, breaking the grid of the area to face the high rise blocks and bustling market whilst protecting a community garden serving the predominantly residential South West. The front becomes the public face of Villeurbanne, its visibility from all entrances emphasising its importance.

Inspired by the transformative nature of the square and particularly the market stall umbrellas, the main hall is a tensile space able to enclose the space for more intimate events and unfurl revealing the stage to a wider audience. In this way the building invites the community to watch, enticing residents to their¬ balcony windows which become informal gallery seats for the performance, breaking their insularity.

Smaller rehearsal space, kitchens, a foyer and restaurant sit within the base of the stage, a solid concrete space wrapped and punctured to add definition whilst retaining an honesty and simplicity to the structure. The detailing is also quite reserved; allowing the building to dress for the event rather than dictate a style.

The furniture scale sits within th¬e market ¬grid, an already established meeting place for the community, providing service access and small scale meeting places. More of the senses are in action at this scale and the steel wrapped pods are purposely placed to disrupt direct lines of movement, encouraging interaction with their faceted reflective facades. During large scale events the reflective pods add to the overall visual spectacle.


Tutor(s)
2012
1 - As the building opens up to the square, residents are enticed to their balconies.
2- A context of intergration and cultural diversity celebrated through festivals influenced studies into scales of interaction
3 - The building acts as the centrepoint for interaction between the blocks and smaller community groups through shared visual spectacle.
4- Studies of the ceremonial and furniture scale, looking at ways of enhancing interaction
5- Retreat and expose - Studies into the transformative nature of umbrellas and how this could alter levels of interaction.
6 - The site strategy divides the square into front and back of house, where private community events are sheltered
7 - The public space is sloped in towards the 'stage' providing informal seating.
8- When the main event is on the square such as on market days, the roof closes to allow for more intimate events.
9- The building is made up of a series of platforms and stages allowing for impromptu performances.
10 - Internal floor plans are kept simple to be adapted by each event. The internal structure is mostly visible
11- The stage floor is able to be divided through curtain walls allowing a flexibility of the number and type of event it holds.
12- The internal spaces are defined through the zinc boxes and wooden floors which wrap through the visible concrete structure.
13- The crane structure of the roof grips into the concrete base of the building with its connections and movement exposed.
14- 'Back of house'. The protected community garden and exposed structure of the building creates a more informal private space.
15- Process models were used throughout the design process.
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