Collection

Abbesses Theater

  • Date 1986-1996
  • Address Rue des Abbesses, 31 – 75018 Paris (France)

From the very start of his career, Vandenhove has recognised the value of surrounding himself with renowned artists and intellectuals. With close ties to the publishing world – which regularly contacts the agency to publish his latest work – the architect maintains close relationships with several internationally renowned critics, including Geert Bekaert and François Chaslin.

It was through the latter that he was commissioned to undertake a major urban regeneration project involving two blocks situated on either side of the Place des Abbesses, combining public facilities (a theatre, a dance centre and a crèche), housing and retail outlets. It is also likely that the reputation he had built up through the Hors-Château project led the City of Paris to entrust the project to the Belgian architect.

Although planned at the same time as the commission for a nursery in the same neighbourhood, the project for the theatre and dance centre to be built on Montmartre Hill will be delayed by a few years due to a problem with land acquisition.

The proposal submitted to Vandenhove is particularly ambitious and concerns the block bounded by Rue des Abbesses, Rue Germain Pilon and Rue Véron. It involves the construction of a 400-seat theatre, a dance school, 25 flats, ground-floor retail units and a public space, all situated above an underground car park accessible from below. The project proposed by Vandenhove is highly logical. Making the most of the difference in level, the auditorium extends along Rue Germain Pilon. Beneath the Italian-style auditorium, several levels house the dance school and the underground car park, which opens onto Rue Véron.

Another key feature of the scheme is that the residential units and retail premises are grouped within several buildings surrounding a small inner courtyard. Breaking with convention, Vandenhove chose to orientate the theatre’s main façade towards this courtyard rather than the street, allowing its classical style (pediment, fluted columns, architrave, etc.) to be fully expressed. The bold red render covering the façade anchors the theatre in its time thanks to Robert Barry’s ‘words’. The visual artist’s contribution can also be seen on the sandblasted glass balustrades in the theatre auditorium. Barry is not the only artist involved. For several years now, Vandenhove has demonstrated the strength of his artistic vision. As with several previous projects, he intends to collaborate with a number of visual artists. Daniel Buren has created geometric patterns on the sandblasted glass balustrades on the façade but, more importantly, outside, a mural on a party wall signals that something is happening there, at the rear of the buildings. As at the CHU or Torrentius, the enamelled sheet metal panelling serves as a canvas for several artists (Jean-Charles Blais, Patrick Corillon and Loïc Le Groumellec). But the most striking contribution remains that of Olivier Debré, whose work covers all the walls of the theatre auditorium and the stage curtain.

Guest artists: Robert Barry, Jean-Charles Blais, Daniel Buren, Patrick Corillon, Olivier Debré, Loïc Le Groumellec.

  • Description of the collection

    The file contains photographs of the site prior to construction, correspondence, sketches, several preliminary designs, as well as all the plans, sections and elevations submitted for planning permission.
  • Volumetry 41 archive boxes, 18 ring binders (6.5 m)
  • AUTHOR AND DATE OF THE ENTRY Sébastien Charlier, 2022