Bleachers climb over the roof of this timber-clad community centre in France by Ateliers O-S Architectes (+ slideshow).
Located in the town of Nevers, central France, the two-storey centre was designed by Ateliers O-S Architectes with tiny square windows and a courtyard at its centre.
The architects conceived the bleachers at the front of the building as a tiered public square that can be used for events, games, or simply as a picnicking spot for local residents, "like an agora overlooking the neighbourhood," they explain, referencing the ancient Greek name for an assembly place.
"The strategic position of the cultural centre and the program led us to design a compact and generous project, as an extension of the public space enhancing the identity and image of the neighbourhood," they added.
Visitors to the building enter through a double-height atrium, which leads through to a 220-seat auditorium on the ground floor.
Other facilites on this floor include a creche and a series of event rooms, while a dance hall and meeting rooms occupy the first floor.
Glazed walls surround the central courtyard on two sides to bring natural light into the ground floor corridors, while a private first-floor balcony overlooks the space from above.
Behind the timber cladding, the building has walls of concrete but the architects concealed them to "create a friendly environment".
Other projects we've featured with public spaces on the roof include Snøhetta's opera house in Oslo, as well as 3XN's recently completed cultural centre in Molde.
See more community centres on Dezeen, including one that looks like a meteorite.
Photography is by Cecile Septet.
Above: ground floor plan - click above for larger image
Above: site plan - click above for larger image
Above: concept diagram 1
Above: concept diagram 2
Above: concept diagram 3
Above: concept diagram 4
Above: concept diagram 5
Above: concept diagram 6
Those stairs are going to get really chewed up by all those skateboarders.
Further proof that architects (and Dave Gronlie) have no concept of what skateboarders will and will not use. This is not skateable. No idea why there are skateboarders posed on those stairs, especially when this gives people the impression that the place will be overrun with them.
Well, I might have been just a bit facetious in my comments. I have a fairly good idea what skateboarders will use and it’s always my steps. And while we’re at it, why don’t they stay outa my yard, playing their hippie music, darn kids. : )
On the contrary – if they’ve been included in the render, chances are the stairs were designed with them in mind as well as other potential users, which is EXACTLY what we should be seeing more of! Why shouldn’t all generations share spaces such as these?
Kick-flip in the middle of a staircase?! :) Making fire in the middle of a pool, or Zaha Hadid creating a box is similar. And how to undrestand 5th photo – man jump-runs into the window?
You missed the point Greenish. I would love to see more public spaces where skateboarding is allowed and encouraged. I spent the better part of my youth looking for spaces like this. But as a skateboarder I can tell you quite certainly, this space will not appeal to skateboarders. (The set of stairs is too big to jump down, there is not enough of an approach at the top to even attempt it, and the long, flat stairs are useless for sliding/grinding tricks). This is actually quite a good example of how to design a space that deters skateboarding. My point is that without consulting real skateboarders, architects have no clue whether they are attracting or deterring skateboarding, as evidence by this render.
If, as I suspect is the case, the only thought was to make the render look more ‘inclusive’ and engaging, then they should have used some dog walkers and children holding balloons.
Not so – if they’ve been included in the render, chances are your stairs were built with them in mind and also other potential users, which is EXACTLY that which you should be seeing far more of! Why shouldn’t many generations share spaces such as these?