It is up to Rudy Ricciotti to build “the new beacon of Nîmes culture”, the conservatory

Rudy Ricciotti a présenté son projet pour le conservatoire de Nîmes. Midi Libre – MiKAEL ANISSET

Une vue du futur bâtiment depuis la place des Carmes. D.R – D.R

The architect Rudy Ricciotti will be responsible for the design of the Nîmes conservatory, for a total amount of 29.9 million euros including tax. Work on the building of nearly 4,000 m2 will be completed in 2029, the town hall announced.

“Alleluia”, says Daniel-Jean Valade to welcome the appointment of Provençal Ruddy Ricciotti as architect in charge of the design of the new Nîmes conservatory. This shows the pride of the Nîmes team in having such an expert to successfully complete “this project to which Jean-Paul Fournier is very attached”, as recalled by Sophie Roulle, deputy for culture, who represented the first councillor absent for health reasons. “This project is a major rehabilitation in a neighborhood that needs it. It is therefore a strong choice by the City in terms of location to build the future cultural beacon of Nîmes in this location. Because it is there that the transversality of the conservatory will be honored with all the cultural actors: the Nîmes theater, the Esban, the artistic associations..”

Reprendre vie

Because it is at the Carmes in place of the former premises occupied by the Unîmes students (who are moving to Hoche) that the conservatory will (re)come to life. As Daniel-Jean Valade recalls, although he was a very bad student at the conservatory he attended when he was 5 or 6 years old, “the building was already dilapidated”. So imagine in 2024!

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And to restore this essential element of a city, the municipality, by choosing Ricciotti, has taken the side of an ambitious architectural project: that of integration into the existing. Indeed, for the poet architect, “out of the question to raze everything to rebuild, because for me, a son of the people, who grew up in Port Saint-Louis du Rhône, that would be architectural imperialism!”, launches, with panache the architect present in the city of Antonin on the occasion of the presentation of the project, this Tuesday, December 10. “This project is actually very complex. I would have preferred to have to build the Museum of Romanity!”(he had participated in the call for tenders for the construction of the latter and had not been selected in favor of Elizabeth de Portzamparc, Editor's note).

“No to architectural imperialism!”

Laughter in the room. “This project worries me a lot because it is very difficult. We are working with what exists, including this very beautiful façade.” As a reminder, the original building is a Renaissance-style theatre, built in the mid-19th century. Burned down twice before the end of the 19th century, it was almost entirely rebuilt, behind its heritage façade. At the end of the 1990s, the site was completely razed again but its baroque façade was carefully preserved and is now home to the University.

Rudy Ricciotti continues seriously:“All this with a very tight budget of €15 million excluding tax. Needless to say, I am very afraid of making a mistake and being banned from returning to the arenas and the city of Nîmes. That would be terrible when you know that in 30 years, I have only missed one feria here! And since I want to avoid getting the elected officials I work for into trouble, I will have to approach all this as a medical procedure, with great awareness.”

4000 m2 of usable surface area

This project involves, “between 3000 and 4000 m2 of usable surface area, right in the city centre”, as Laurent points out Gourdel, deputy for finance. “The expectations of the City for the new facility focused on respecting the heritage façade, revitalizing the side façades (rue Séguier and garden of the Foster building), and transparent reading of the establishment in relation to the city center (factual opening of the establishment to the City)”.

Based on these requirements, Rudy Ricciotti has imagined a completely rebuilt building, in concrete structure (reinforced concrete posts/pre-stressed concrete beams and partition walls) of which he is the champion. An external envelope made of prefabricated concrete walls and panels. The roof is provided by zinc roofs and terraces. A beautiful and harmonious whole in which the six main activity areas of the conservatory will be distributed: administration, reception and conviviality, diffusion, musical training, choreography and dramatic art, individual practices and collective practices.

Providing access to natural light

“I have a deep desire to bring natural light back into these creative spaces. It's a struggle. How do you expect young people to be passionate about music or the arts if they don't have access to natural light. Concert and performance halls are always in the dark, learning must take place in the light”, assures the world-renowned architect, passionately.

From an energy point of view, heat pumps and air handling units will be proposed. The project includes an attic extension (top level) in a wooden structure. Through the thermal comfort of the building, the City seeks to ensure the health safety and comfort of the occupants: summer comfort, air quality, visual comfort and quality of natural lighting, consistency of functionality with highlighting of reference points for the user. The emphasis will be placed on controlling mid-season comfort. Summer being a low period in the use of the building. The auditorium will be air-conditioned to meet the requirements of heatwave periods.

Nevertheless, the 120-seat auditorium which is part of the conservatory for the first time will comply with the rules in this area so that concerts and shows can take place there. Because much more than a music conservatory, the City of Nîmes wanted to create a multidisciplinary venue that is open to the city and pleasant to visit.