Centre Aimé-Césaire in Gennevilliers by Rudy Ricciotti

In the heart of the Luth district of Gennevilliers, on the corner of avenue du Luth and rue Maurice-Ravel, Rudy Ricciotti's practice is currently building a cultural and community centre for the municipality. Standing amid a series of repetitive housing slabs, the building asserts itself as a reflection on contemporary architecture. It prompts questions about how architecture evolves, and about what it forgets at a given moment.

To safeguard the green space, the architects kept the building's footprint to a minimum, and its siting reinforces the green strip that runs as far as the square des Bonnequins. The building has thus been lifted off the ground, which heightens its role as a landmark. The sculptural form of the structure is meant to break with its surroundings, not to show hostility towards the neighbouring buildings.

Rudy Ricciotti sought to create "a friendly convergence" and to inspire optimism among local residents. In designing the Centre Aimé-Césaire, the architect drew on the work of the Italian artist Lucio Fontana, who wanted to work towards freeing what is left unsaid and forbidden. Following Fontana's monochrome canvases, Rudy Ricciotti attempted to defy the limits of architectural and technical rationalism.

The walls of the various rooms are mostly formed by glass screens opening onto the white, marble-clad envelope. The building is naturally lit through irregular incisions in the envelope. Once night has fallen, it is the interior of the building that gives off the energy that highlights these incisions. The corner facing the public space is raised to mark the entrance to the facility. The low height of the openings makes the building's function intriguing and will arouse curiosity.

The programme is organised vertically and includes an exhibition hall, four multipurpose rooms, a library and media centre, a storytelling room and a computer workshop. The building is a fine piece of architecture, but also a thorough exercise in engineering. Through his work, the architect pays tribute to the building trades. The construction favours in situ work over off-the-shelf solutions.

Architect: Agence Rudy Ricciotti

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