Designed by Dominique Coulon & Associés, the new Pierre Bottero media library and public park has been created from a historic “Hôtel particulier” originally built in 1642.
Located in Pélissanne, an ancient fortified city in the heart of Provence, France, the project shifts between two eras and two dimensions: the verticality of the rehabilitated volume of the existing building and the horizontality of the extension. This dialogue is embodied in the contrast between the apparent homogeneity of the facades and the different shades of local materials used, such as ocher and Rognes stone.
The classical spatial structure of interconnecting rooms was preserved in the existing building, which establishes a simple internal organization of the media library. The extension, meanwhile, displays large, flexible consultation spaces on two floors. The ground level opens widely into the park and allows visitors to immerse themselves in the landscape. The upper level offers a different atmosphere as it propels the visitor into the crown of a plane tree. Preservation efforts guided the curved shape of the extension.
An adjacent building connects the town hall square and the park has been renovated into a passage that links different poles within a global and open urban system. The passage is materialized here by a totally empty space bathed in natural light. The existing floors, doors, and windows were removed and the tiles on the roof were replaced with glass tiles.
The park facade was maintained as is with its semi-circular porte-cochere. On the town hall side, the facade is open over its entire width, framing the park.
Related Stories
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2022
On-campus performing arts centers and museums can be talent magnets for universities
Cultural facilities are changing the way prospective students and parents view higher education campuses.
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2022
UPenn converts a library past its prime to a tech-integrated learning and maker
In September 2021, Penn reopened its renovated and expanded library as an open center for cross-disciplinary learning, prototyping, and collaboration. Now called Biotech Commons, the 17,000-sf building supports new modes of research by offering a range of spaces and services that is free to be scheduled by any student or faculty member.
Libraries | Nov 22, 2021
Atlanta’s Central Library completes its $50 million renovation
Cooper Carry in association with Vines Architecture designed the project.
Giants 400 | Nov 19, 2021
2021 Cultural Facilities Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. cultural facilities sector
Gensler, AECOM, Buro Happold, and Arup top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest cultural facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Libraries | Sep 22, 2021
Three libraries in California were built in less than two years under a P3 contract
A nonprofit with tax advantages funded the project.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Libraries | Aug 26, 2021
Fort Worth’s first public library for children opens
KAI designed the project.
Resiliency | Aug 19, 2021
White paper outlines cost-effective flood protection approaches for building owners
A new white paper from Walter P Moore offers an in-depth review of the flood protection process and proven approaches.
Libraries | Aug 17, 2021
ABA creates space for the Philip Roth Personal Library at the Newark Public Library
ABA partnered with Shawmut Design & Construction on the project.
Libraries | Aug 10, 2021
Lakeside Branch Library breaks ground
HED and PCL Construction are designing and building the project.