The future Educational and Cultural Center in the city of Valenton south of Paris aims to create space for a variety of cultural and artistic events or activities: singing, dancing, music, theater, visual arts, and more are thought to find plenty of room here. To accommodate this variety of programs, the new center houses a large auditorium for up to 300 people as well as numerous smaller rooms such as a rehearsal room, singing room, changing rooms and offices arranged around the big hall. To ensure flexible use, as few walls as possible are made of concrete. At the core of the supporting structure are the walls of the auditorium. Furthermore, the structural framework is composed of a combination of columns, slabs and beams to allow the greatest possible free space in the floor plan. The use of concrete was also severely limited in terms of sustainability. Therefore, the facade’s structural framework is made of timber frames, covered with a ceramic cladding. The top floor’s structure is constructed with timber, featuring hybrid timber and concrete ceilings. A semi-underground parking level completes the overall design of the building.
