éric lapierre architecture: le point du jour art centre

‘le point du jour art center’ by éric lapierre architecture in cherbourg, france all images courtesy éric lapierre architecture image © paola salerno

‘le point du jour art center’ by french-based practice éric lapierre architecture is a two storey cultural facility fully dedicated to photography in cherbourg, france. an architectural exercise in which the building reflects and renews the quality of its surroundings, the design features an outer skin made out of layers of asphalt – a cheap and often unseen element used to waterproof flat roofs – to express europe’s recent downward economy.

street view image © paola salerno

monolithic in form, the centre is read as a warehouse from the street but a large house from the school gardens. this addresses the different contexts of the site, further enforcing its relevant identity to the surroundings. the rough facade treatment establishes a direct link with other neighbouring commercial boxes (such as a mcdonald’s) which are all constructed using non-permanent materials. through this finish, the design establishes a cohesiveness within the outskirts.

approach image © hélène binet

much like the pavement of the parking lot outside, the interior flooring is finished with tar. the resulting effect subtly establishes the public and accessible nature of the centre by continuing the nature of the street into its layout. all the materials used in the building are raw and devoid of any plasterboard construction. solid detail work, which are often hidden in new structures, are a dominant part of the interior atmosphere.

view from parking lot image © hélène binet