Manuelle Gautrand La comedie de Bethune theatre

Manuelle Gautrand Architecture planned the expansion and renovation of La comedie de Bethune, a theatre in Béthune, France.
The original theatre, built in 1930, was knocked down in 1990, preserving only its façade. Manuelle Gautrand Architecture won the original competition for reconstruction of the theatre, held in 1994.
In 2009, after knocking down the building at the corner of the lot, a second design competition was held for an expansion, allowing Manuelle Gautrand Architecture to work on the building again to complete and perfect their plan. The theatre was given a new rehearsal room and office space in the new building on Avenue Victor Hugo, while the structure designed in 1994 was adapted to new safety and accessibility regulations and improve its technical and energy performance.
The façades of the two buildings contrast in colour, purple in the case of the theatre and black in the expansion, but they are linked by a big rhomboid design which, though made using different materials and techniques, still seems to continue from one building to the other.

(Agnese Bifulco)

Design: Manuelle Gautrand
Location: Bethune, France

Images courtesy of Manuelle Gautrand, © Philippe Ruaul © Luc Boegly

www.manuelle-gautrand.com

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