It was March 8, 2007 in the middle of 16-acre densely wooded forest field located between the ESTER crossroads and the crossroads of Europe (Uzurat) when the Zenith inaugurated. Bernard Tschumi and BTuA were chosen for this 6,000 seats concert hall in Limoges, France, after won the competition which was sponsored by the local government of Limoges. The project will openly accept rock concerts, political meetings and various other events.

This powerful art of work, realized after the hard last several years, gives physical form to an architectural discourse that has made Tschumi a mastering theorist of his era. Tschumi devotes his concepts for every project uniquely in how they respond to content and context. He reintroduces the envelope concept, but recontextualizes it and presents material replacements. Limoges is inspired on his recent concert hall in Rouen, France, but instead of concrete, the hall in Limoges uses an exterior clad of wood due of its respection to the surrounding, a large forest, as an answer for the laws of the durable development.

The new building unfolds onto the surrounding landscape through a double envelope of tranluscent and wood surfaces. The inner envelope, which delineates the perimeter of the performance space, is to be clad entirely with wood while the exterior envelope will be composed of polycarbonate panels to present a glowing, translucent veil for the interstitial space of the entrance hall between the two envelopes. The dual skin congregately supported by a light wood-frame structure. The entrance of the concert hall is concentric in shape. For furnishing a totaly free view and certaining that no portion of the structure blocks any of the events performanced, the loads are shifted onto columns on the periphery, with an average interaxis of 80m. So there’ll be no visual or physical impedions in any position of the hall.

The two surface envelopes provide acoustic and thermal insulation for the concert hall space. Inside the performance space, wood will be attached on the walls and ceiling for its warm acoustic characteristics. Together, the rows of seats, the partitions and the ceiling give a dynamic and acceptable nuance. The configuration of the exhibition hall allows for a variety of crowd holdings and can provide up to three peoples per square metre on the stage, in accordance with the regulations governing public spaces.

The auditorium is designed to meet the full range of production requirements and to give maximum technical reliability. The structure of the stage is fused with the main frame of the building, whose geometry is determined by designated technical specs. Inside the entrance hall, a multiple wooden arch structure stabilises the high points of the curved facade. The two light building envelopes stand between the entrance to the Zenith and the forest surrounding it. Visitors will be able to feel the trees existence through the translucent skin of the outer facade while they inside the hall. The curved wooden frame emphasizes the slightness of this border and tunes up the sense of a space that harmonizes the surrounding.

“One enjoys more what one dream, that of what one obtains,” said sociologist Michel Foucault, but the mayor of Limoges, Alain Rodet, contradicts it to express his satisfaction of the project. “It is not the greatest Zenith of France, but perhaps the most beautiful!” That was a compliment addressed to Bernard Tschumi, Veronique Descharrières and all the architects of the BTuA agency.

At the capacity as an architect, Bernard Tschumi explained the use of wood and polycarbonate in his work. The design of a timber structure was described by “a walk in the national forest” which borders the site. The idea of translucent polycarbonate panels was born from a desire “for making iridescent the light”. These two elements materialize the area through its past and future. The first artist to be debuted in the concert hall on March 17 will be Michel Polnareff, a French singer who was very popular from the mid-60 until the early 80’s.

Now it’s the landscape matter. To provide parking approximately of 1,100 visitors the open space has to be expanded. Tschumi designs the parking areas with grass floor while keeping the walkways materialized with natural forest gravel. When the parking areas are remains unused, the outer space will seen as large strips of grass surrounding the concert hall, redefining its nature as a ‘forest’.

The area could be accessed via Avenue Jean Monnet, which lied at south-east of the site for accesses to buses, performers and vehicles. Alternatively is in the middle of the site, also a separate exit for light vehicle parking and a quick drop-off area. The mission if the project is to generate a strong urban landmark that noticable by a local, national and even international reputation and improve the cultural and economic development of the city.

[Show as slideshow]