Location: Bordeaux, France.

Architect: Babin + Renaud.

The Quinconces cultural complex in Le Mans, designed by Éric Babin and Jean-François Renaud, has become an important part of the town’s cultural and social life since its opening. The building is located between the Esplanade des Quinconces and Place des Jacobins, and stands across from the law courts and the Palais des Comtes du Maine. The modern building is incorporated into the existing architectural heritage of the city center and presents two well-defined volumes under a single roof. The theater’s foyer is directly accessible from the plaza, and the theater itself is covered in light-colored wood on the outside and darker wood on the inside. Opposite the municipal theater is a complex housing 11 movie theaters, with an entrance on the plaza and a glassed-in café-restaurant. The new complex serves an ambitious cultural policy and is a precision tool with intricate functions.

Photo credit: Babin+Renaud Architects.