Centre culturel transfrontalier Art´Rhéna, Vogelgrun, France

Vogelgrun is a French town located on the French-German border, and home to a new cultural centre. The centre, located on an island, possesses an architecture that takes advantage of the site’s geographical features: The large hall for 400 visitors is located close to the riverbank, and offers views to the Rhine and the rocks of Brisach on the opposite bank. In addition to the multi-purpose hall, there is a tourist office, a French-German cultural centre, a forecourt and an observation deck, which offers impressive views towards the two neighbouring towns and their surroundings. On the other hand, since the building is visible from afar, special care was taken with its form.
The office sits on top of the hall, and has high performance triple glazing with movable exterior sunshades. The highly transparent facade and the skylights in the roof ensure ample daylight for the working spaces and can be used for natural ventilation. The radiant floor provides heating and cooling.
The multipurpose room is mechanically ventilated to offer maximum flexibility: it can serve as a gym with low occupancy; it can accommodate simultaneously up to two events; it allows up to 400 seats for a concert and it may be opened on to the adjacent landscape. Its facade facing the river is fully glazed, and furnished with an exterior wooden sunscreen and an interior curtain. Openings in the facade allow natural ventilation in the shoulder seasons and in summer.
The design is based on the French green-building certification system, HQE. HQE objectives include integration into the environment, energy performance, water and waste management, as well as special attention to acoustic comfort. The green roof conforms to the requirements of Natura 2000, an EU initiative which seeks to develop a Europe-wide network of protected green spaces.