To Perpignan along Avenue Général Leclerc is located a giant concrete bubble ‘the grenat,’ a large theatre space accommodating 1100 guests and venue of the Théâtre de l’Archipel.
The project for this new cross-border Catalan theatre is being carried out jointly by Perpignan and the city of Salt in Spain, and will offer the public a shared season of shows and co-productions, as well as a cross-border festival.
The theatre’s mission is to open its doors to all audiences, thanks to a varied programme of performing arts, classical, contemporary, or current (theatre, music, dance, circus, and opera).
“The theater makes a difference makes the landscape with its wired pergolas its eternal umbrella pines eternal makes vistas by stopping them before they self-destruct transversal, the theater captures the landscape captures the vistas from the historic city.
Only in sequences the theater makes the skyline from the entrance of the city into a question about history the theater makes a district something that has begun and that one doesn't quite know how to finish... but above all the theater forms.
An attraction an encounter a crossroads the theater expresses contradictions... to express them and, like Sisyphus, constantly tries to resolve them the theater flaunts the colors.
Of experience of tradition of people the theater makes a difference through different faces different attitudes different environments the theater continues to make Perpignan Catalonia through its colors and stances the theater makes a rendez-vous with different cultures and eras.” Description from Jean Nouvel.
Théâtre de l'Archipel: Jean Nouvel's modular arts complex is made up of several cubes and a giant representation of one of the garnet pebbles that lie on the bed of the River Têt.
The old single-volume theater building has been replaced by an archipelago of buildings, each clad in a material that references the region. Each has a distinct and easily identifiable function: theater auditorium, stage tower, rehearsal room, workshops, administration and dressing rooms, and second performance space.
The paths between the buildings are glazed and show the life in the theater to the city around it. The principal theater has a seat count that can vary between 600 and 1 100 seats by dropping a blind made of oversized slats in front of the balconies. The studio theater has a seat count of up to 400.
Location: Perpignan, France
Architects: Jean Nouvel Ateliers, Brigitte Métra, Métra & Associés
Project leaders:Architects Métra et Associés
Schematic design:Barbara Fetz
Design development:Alberto Rubin Pedrazzo
Project Team: Eckhard Kahle, Yann Jurkiewicz, Kahle Acoustics
Theatre Planner: Michel Cova, Ducks Scéno
Construction:Valérie Mascunan, Olivier Foucher
Area: 8 200 m2
Cost: 32 million €
Year: 2011
Owner: Mairie de Perpignan/Agir Promotion
Architects: Jean Nouvel Ateliers, Brigitte Métra, Métra & Associés
Project leaders:Architects Métra et Associés
Schematic design:Barbara Fetz
Design development:Alberto Rubin Pedrazzo
Project Team: Eckhard Kahle, Yann Jurkiewicz, Kahle Acoustics
Theatre Planner: Michel Cova, Ducks Scéno
Construction:Valérie Mascunan, Olivier Foucher
Area: 8 200 m2
Cost: 32 million €
Year: 2011
Owner: Mairie de Perpignan/Agir Promotion