Le Carreau du Temple reopened its doors in the spring of 2014, following studioMilou's major restoration and adaptation of this rare surviving vestige of the great metal-framed architectural tradition of late nineteenth century Paris. With a budget of over 35 million Euros and a surface of approximately 10,000 square metres, the project has transformed Le Carreau into a community culture and sporting events venue opening to critical acclaim in France for its elegant treatment of preservation and innovation.
The design minimizes the visual impact of new elements on the building's façades, so as to keep attention on their stunning metal structure, and to maximize natural light. Restoring the glazed halls of Carreau was a design priority. studioMilou sought to 'idealize' the halls by emphasizing the refinement of the structures, introducing fine columns and making the walls and roof as transparent as possible so as to reveal the poetic forms of its metal superstructure in a glance. studioMilou worked closely with master craftsmen, replacing the masonry wall that previously enclosed the building with one of glass, steel and wood, thus maintaining the shape of the original construction while creating visual permeability to better reveal the spectacular interior.
The materials and colour palette seek relations with the buildings surrounding city and sky scapes: steel for the basement and new woodwork, green-grey paint for the existing steel structures, zinc for the roof structure, and interior facing in oak and steel.
Minimal rehabilitation techniques allowed the original architecture to remain prominent while preserving its structures. At the same time, the design optimizes the site's highly functional and contemporary multi-purpose infrastructure for sporting, cultural and other events. Two new basement levels extend six metres underground and improve the legibility of the spaces, with the sporting facilities being placed in the basement areas, and the cultural spaces
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