Cultural and Musical Space by TRACKS

The Cultural and Musical Space designed by TRACKS emerges from a careful reading of its context, seeking not to impose an autonomous object but to cultivate a sense of belonging within the city. The project draws its architectural DNA from the surrounding fabric of incremental townhouses, whose modest morphologies have shaped the neighborhood over time. One of these existing houses has been preserved and integrated into the project, reinforcing continuity between old and new while anchoring the cultural facility within a lived urban narrative.

Rather than operating as an isolated cultural object, the new building positions itself as an extension of the site’s collective memory. Its form is not symbolic in abstraction, but constructed through direct dialogue with the spatial, typological, and volumetric characteristics already present on the plot.

A Composition of Archetypal Volumes

The architectural strategy is based on the aggregation of three distinct volumes, each corresponding to a specific part of the program. This composition produces a legible spatial organization while maintaining a domestic scale that resonates with the surrounding context.

The first and most prominent volume is the concert hall, known as the “Studio-Scène,” located on the eastern edge of the site along the National road. With a free height of six meters, this space serves a dual purpose: internally, it offers the generous proportions required for acoustic performance; externally, it acts as a protective acoustic barrier against traffic noise. Its gabled roof echoes the proportions of the existing house, establishing a visual and typological continuity that softens the transition between residential and public functions. This volume also assumes the role of urban marker, providing visibility and identity for the cultural facility.

To the south, a second, lower volume accommodates the more technical and functional spaces: rehearsal studios, maintenance areas, and storage. Its reduced height reinforces the hierarchical reading of the ensemble while contributing to the gradual modulation of scale across the site.

A third volume opens toward the entrance square and contains the main hall, reception desk, office, reserve, and bar. Conceived as the social threshold of the project, this space mediates between city and building, offering a welcoming environment for both daily users and occasional visitors.

Interior Spatiality and Acoustic Performance

Inside, the aggregation of these archetypal volumes produces a sequence of generous and differentiated spaces. The geometry of the interiors is intentionally articulated to support the building’s musical vocation. Walls and ceilings are subtly de-parallelized, and absorption surfaces are multiplied, ensuring acoustic comfort while enhancing the spatial character of each room.

Music teaching studios, administrative areas, and shared spaces benefit from this volumetric richness, transforming what could have been purely technical environments into places of experience. Light, proportion, and material continuity contribute to an atmosphere that supports concentration, creativity, and collective presence.

Material Strategy and Environmental Approach

One of the project’s most distinctive characteristics lies in its construction system. The building is realized using timber framing — a rare choice for acoustic programs, where heavy, inert structures are more commonly employed. This decision reflects a commitment to environmental responsibility while also demonstrating the potential of wood construction in technically demanding contexts.

The exterior is clad in powder-coated, micro-corrugated metal sheeting, giving the building a robust yet refined presence. The materiality bridges industrial expression and contemporary civic architecture, reinforcing the identity of the facility without overpowering its surroundings.

A Modest yet Powerful Cultural Infrastructure

Rather than pursuing monumentality, the Cultural and Musical Space by TRACKS operates through precision, contextual intelligence, and spatial generosity. Its strength lies in the way it transforms ordinary architectural elements — gabled roofs, simple volumes, domestic references — into a cohesive public building capable of hosting collective life.

By integrating memory, acoustic performance, environmental responsibility, and urban sensitivity, the project establishes itself as a meaningful cultural anchor: a place for learning, rehearsal, performance, and everyday encounter, deeply connected to both its users and its neighborhood.

Photography: Guillaume Amat