Sports Hall in Rillieux-La-Pape
The Hacine Cherifi gymnasium is the latest addition to the Paul-Chevallier school complex, which opened two years ago. In the direct neighbourhood of two existing buildings, the double-court gymnasium defines the north-east limit of the school site. It was named in honour of the former world champion boxer of the same name, who grew up in Rillieux- la-Pape, to the north of Lyon. Internally, the Douglas fir clad building combines a 1100 m² multipurpose sports hall and an 800 m² gymnastics hall, which are arranged in an L-shape around a glazed entrance area, including a cafeteria. The equipment and locker rooms are located on the floor below. To limit the adverse effects of the 9 –12 m tall building on the neighbouring residential area, the architects buried part of the new building into the inclined ground on the site. The designers selected the materials for the interior on a floor by floor basis: the bottom three metres of the hall including the 400-seat spectator stands are constructed in fair-faced concrete; above this the structure is built completely in timber. The atmosphere in the two halls is set with light wooden tones and the grey of the fair-faced concrete. A clear contrast is provided by the gymnastics equipment, for which, without exception, the architects have chosen the colour fire brigade red.
