This proposal was developed as the winning entry for an international competition to design a new congress and cultural centre in Angers, France. Positioned along a prominent boulevard overlooking the Maine River, the project sought to strengthen the relationship between the historic city and its waterfront through a building that functioned as both destination and urban connector.
Rather than presenting the congress centre as a singular object placed between city and river, the proposal was conceived as a continuation of the public realm. Inspired by the flowing movement of the adjacent Maine, the building adopts a spiralling configuration that gently guides visitors between the waterfront and the surrounding urban fabric. This gesture fragments the overall mass of the programme, reducing its visual impact while creating multiple points of entry and connection.
The continuous movement of the spiral extends beyond the building itself. Pedestrians approaching from the boulevard, the city centre or the riverfront are invited to enter, cross or occupy the building as part of their everyday journey. In this way, the congress centre becomes more than a venue for cultural events; it acts as an urban landscape that encourages movement, interaction and public engagement.
This relationship between city and river is further expressed through the façade. A series of horizontal metallic bands wraps around the building, filtering light and views while revealing glimpses of the activity within. Openings created within this layered envelope clearly mark entrances and circulation routes, reinforcing the building's role as a permeable civic destination.
Internally, the spiralling concept is translated into a clear and rational organisation of programme. Slight rotations between floor plates create visual connections between levels and allow circulation spaces, foyers and event areas to overlap and interact. As visitors move through the building, the architecture gradually unfolds, revealing framed views of Angers and the surrounding landscape.
At the heart of the project lies the philharmonic hall. Here, the spiral transforms into an immersive interior landscape where visitors descend through a sequence of terraces, balconies and gathering spaces before arriving at the auditorium. Throughout this journey, carefully orchestrated views reconnect occupants with the city beyond, culminating in a final panorama of Angers before the performance begins.
Although never realised, the proposal demonstrates how a large cultural building can operate simultaneously as architecture, landscape and public infrastructure. By strengthening the connection between city and river, the project reimagined the congress centre as an active civic space capable of enriching both the cultural and urban life of Angers.
location angers, france
design team kengo kuma, yuki ikeguchi, diego lópez arahuetes, miguel huelga de la fuente,
jaime fernandez calvache, ryota torao, kazuyo nishida, kimio suzuki, nicola maniero, leroy merks,
will lambeth, juan pablo azares, lucile dugal, christopher dowds, seung ik cha, arielle assouline
local architect frederic rolland architects
type winning architecture competition
program congress center and philharmonic
size 25.200sqm
commission invited competition (2012)
status cancelled (2014)
awards winning scheme
