La Cuisine Art Center

Nègrepelisse, France

Photo © Hisao Suzuki

Architects: RCR Arquitectes

Location: Nègrepelisse, France
Year: 2014

A 13th century fort-like castle in Nègrepelisse, a village in the Midi-Pyrénées region of southwest France, was designated for a new cultural program focusing on arts and cuisine. The project, won by RCR through a competition, activates the inner courtyard by structuring the new facilities around the old castle: the kitchen, exhibition and educational spaces, are on one side, while the workshops for children, artists and performers, and the administration areas are on the other.

By using few materials, mostly steel and glass, and attaching the new construction to the existing castle walls, the architects have both minimized the impact on the historic structure and created a clear dialogue between old and new. The facades pierced by large windows, allow light inward and let the activities of the center flow outwards, creating a luminous and energized.