Back in 2011, O-S Architectes won the competition to restructure and expand the Jacques Carat Theater. Located in the Cachan commune in Paris, the original theater was built in 1988 and inaugurated the following year. The theater's restructuring was completed last year and now comprises of two simple volumes, which are organized around the existing central auditorium. 

The first volume is a transparent building with multiple openings and the foyer, which then leads to the auditoriums in the second volume. Composed of terracotta elements, the second volume envelopes the project like a “stage curtain”. The theater entrance is like “an outstretched hand that prompts and guides visitors, [and] is marked by a fold that paces the length of the façade,” O-S Architectes says.

The ground floor includes a spacious reception area, two auditoriums, a cafeteria, and exhibition space. The new 250-seat auditorium fits behind the existing one so they can share the new technical spaces and will also facilitate the movement of actors and stage crew.

More photos and drawings below.

Project details

CLIENT: CA Val de Bièvre
SCHEDULE: Delivery: October 2017
BUILDING COST: 11,240,000 € HT
GROSS FLOOR AREA:
New area - 3,600 m²
Refurbished area - 1,515 m²
PROJECT TEAM: Vincent Baur, Guillaume Colboc, Gaël Le Nouëne, Benjamin Haziot, Samuel Genet Marine Bouhin, Etienne Pellier CONSULTANTS: Nicolas ing (Services engineer), Batiserf (Structural engineer), Ducks sceno (Theater consultant), JP Lamoureux (Acoustics engineer)
Photography: Cyrille Weiner, courtesy of O-S Architectes