French firm Thibaudeau Architecte & Agence d’Architecture Guiraud-Manenc has earned second place for a competition to design the new tourism office for “Les Pays de Fontenay le Compte France.” Designed to encourage tourism in South Vendée, the design merges a contemporary style with a consideration for the historic and artistic identity of the area.
A single story structure, the building is located within a public square in the city. It is composed of polished white walls, stretched and folded horizontally, with large cuts that break up the form and frame views to create a relationship between the office and surrounding city. The exterior shell is made of white concrete, contrasted by warm wood surfaces on the interior.