SPOT: A New Sporting Landscape in Thionville

In Thionville, northeastern France, the SPOT project – Site Polyvalent Omnisport de Thionville – has breathed new life into a 1960s urban complex comprising a theater and municipal gymnasium.

Designed by Dominique Coulon & associés, the project has upgraded existing sports facilities to meet modern standards, enabling the venue to host high-level competitions and cultural events. The design has achieved this while maintaining a strong connection to the historic fabric, balancing formal continuity with functional updates.

SPOT: Respecting historic fabric

Preservation is the project’s guiding principle. The stone wall that visually structured the complex remains as a point of continuity between eras, while the original entrance has been retained as a neighborhood landmark. The new facade’s tall, vertical openings and solid sections alternating with glazing reference the existing theater, creating the impression that the two buildings were designed in tandem.

Cantilevering over the stone base, the silver multipurpose hall is a defining feature, its 46 m glazed facade creating an impression of weightlessness and suspension. The complex also references the nearby Puzzle media library, a project completed by the same firm in 2016.

Strategically positioned openings further integrate the project with its urban setting. At the intersection of two main thoroughfares, a dance studio with full-height glazing reveals its activity to the city. On the opposite side, the building is set back to preserve a large cedar of Lebanon, which shades the 12 m tall rhythmic gymnastics hall.

The firm describes the layout as having a “joyous kind of porosity” – a reference to the fluid continuity between programs, where strategically placed entrances and constant visual connections facilitate an intuitive flow through the building. Color further defines the interior, with blue, ochre, and white tones demarcating the various zones and orienting the viewer’s experience of the space. Natural light and warm tones also help define the expansive, inviting interiors.

Flexibility and permeability

To create a sense of spatial continuity, the interiors are designed to obscure the load-bearing elements. The double-height main atrium connects the different levels both visually and functionally, serving as a hub for social interaction and circulation. A central concrete staircase leads to the multipurpose hall and tiered seating, while the ground floor houses the gymnasium and various support spaces.

Versatility is a defining feature of the project, with its two primary volumes – the gymnasium and multipurpose hall – designed as interconnected spaces. The building’s section reveals this relationship, with the upper volume overhanging the lower one and aligning with the tiered seating. This configuration allows for significant operational flexibility, with the halls functioning independently or combining into a single 2,800 m² space for large events.

Integrated into the open layout, a 42 m wide and 15 m high climbing wall serves as a primary architectural element. Its multifaceted topography is punctured by a triangular opening that admits natural light into the gymnasium.

SPOT engages with the original structures as a design resource, generating new spatial qualities while maintaining a strong connection to the site’s history. By balancing preservation with innovation, this is dynamic civic infrastructure that meets the cultural and social demands of a modern city.

>>> Discover also the Multi-Childcare Crèche in Illzach and the Jeanne-Marie House by Dominique Coulon & associés