This is the main square of the city, surrounded by the buildings of the town hall, the center of contemporary art "les églises" (in the premises of two rebuilt churches), a school and a park. Despite the importance of these structures for the life of the city, the space between them was not designed in any way from an architectural point of view.
The architects of LAN placed a rectangular block of the gym there, which made the area of the town hall more compact and clear, a full-fledged main space of the city, and a new pedestrian street leading to the park ran past it.
In addition to solving the urban planning problem, the architects were faced with the problem of connecting the sports hall with the environment: as a rule, such structures are deaf monolithic blocks. The answer was a two-layer façade: the outer layer of glass hides copper panels behind it. During the day, it reflects the surrounding buildings, hiding the interior of the hall, at night, on the contrary, the facade "dissolves in the air", and the building glows from the inside. In addition, the copper sheets and wood planks on which they are reinforced provide soundproofing of the premises.
Among the eco-elements of the project are the extensive use of natural light (through the facades and windows in the roof), a green roof, the use of rainwater in bathrooms and for irrigation of vegetation. Heating is provided by the citywide geothermal system.
N. F.
