Espace 3000 Hyères

At Hyères-les-Palmiers, in the Var, Z Architecture took part in the competition to rehabilitate the Espace 3000, an ageing all-purpose venue. The brief ran in two stages: bring the existing building back up to standard, with the structure consolidated, the facades reworked and the insulation strengthened to cut energy use sharply, then graft on a new sports and events floor. That floor gathers a reception hall, a function room, grandstands and a modular stage linked to the pitch by a tunnel, so the place can take sport, culture or large gatherings interchangeably. The operation bets on the lifespan of an existing public building rather than its demolition.