SIMONE VEIL CULTURAL CENTER
The new Simone Veil cultural centre is being built in the town centre, in an existing building (the Maison Hirsch), whose capacity will have to be increased by the construction of an extension. Located on Place Velotte, in the historic heart of
the town centre and just a stone's throw from the station, the Maison Hirsch and its garden represent an important part of the town's heritage, a place of remembrance and a highly visible landmark.
The project avoids the constraints of the existing building by completely demolishing the interior walls and floors, which would not be suitable for their new functions, thereby demonstrating that respecting the heritage value of a building requires a transformation that goes beyond a functional approach and provides new uses with high‐quality spaces.
At the back of the house, a two‐storey extension slides in like a backdrop. In contrast to the original building, whose facades have been preserved intact (with a few additional openings to complement the existing gable openings), the extension assumes its contemporary character, to better showcase the existing building, offering transparency or reflection depending on the time of day, and always offering the spectacle of its interior life in the background from the square.
Inside, the two parts become one, and it's easy to move from one room to the other thanks to the generously proportioned communal spaces that allow users to meet around the dance studio, the centrepiece of the project, which is naturally located on the front of the square.
