On the outside, the theatre is candid and shaped by the extremely dynamic volumes of the existing urban flows and the architectural choice conveys an openness to dialogue while at the same time seeking to influence the reality of the area on a formal, aesthetic and symbolic level
The theatre as protagonist of the spectacle. Art as a social challenge in a land of mines
In the French town of Freyming-Merlebach has made a visionary commitment to art as a way of looking after the future of its inhabitants. The Théodore Gouvy theatre is a new landmark designed by architects Dominique Coulon & associés as a catalyst for social, economic and urban renewal
Inside, the 700-seat auditorium is like the heart of a living organism, bursting with red-orange hues. The colours that already convey the qualities of movement and focused attention, symbolise the intensity of the artistic performance and are amplified by the broken, vital lines that outline the stalls
Likewise in the spaces that welcome the visitor from the outside and lead them to the fulcrum of the theatre, the user is sensorially overwhelmed by the dynamism of the architectural volumes and the animated lines of the paths. The rough concrete of the walls and the carpeting which muffles the footsteps, inhibiting the sense of orientation, help convey the sensation of being in the cocoon of a chrysalis and make the path to the auditorium deliberately spectacular and theatrical
The natural light, which changes with the passing of the day, enhances the various faces and reveals the shape and size of the building both on the outside and inside in the foyer and public areas. The theatre itself becomes the metamorphic protagonist of the show
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