Espace Mayenne

Laval, France

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Espace Mayenne

Laval, France

Firm

Type

Hospitality + Sport › Stadium Sports Center
Cultural › Hall/Theater Cultural Center

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2021

SIZE

10,000 sqft - 25,000 sqft

BUDGET

$10M - 50M

Espace Mayenne is a multifunctional facility comprising a 4,500-seat arena for sports and events, a gymnasium with a climbing wall designed for international competitions, and a conference hall. The project began with an urban and landscape study for the redevelopment of the former 42nd Signals Regiment site, aimed at defining the main directions for its future development in connection with the planned Ferrier development zone. This is a transforming area on the edge of the city of Laval, bordered to the north by the D900 ring road.

The urban layout respects the landscape structure and the memory of the site, combining ecology, compactness, cost efficiency, and the creation of a master plan dividing the land into plots for future programs. The landscape heritage is remarkable, consisting of a natural area—wetlands, woodlands, and wet meadows—and an old bocage network. This bocage structure, made up of sculptural trees planted on embankments, along with the sunken lanes, is entirely preserved. An east–west pedestrian and cycling promenade structures the site, crossing the public parking area and the wetland before widening into a forecourt in front of the building’s main entrance.

To promote efficient land use and optimize the building’s form factor, the structure is designed as a single volume that wraps around and unifies the three halls in one continuous gesture. The façade curves around the venues, creating a living, organic form that changes depending on the viewpoint. This flexible surface lifts in certain areas to reveal glazed façades—particularly at the entrance hall facing the forecourt—or extends the full height elsewhere. The façade is made of aluminum panels, with the complex shape subdivided into geometrically simple elements to allow for rational construction.

The circulation hall is located in the interstitial space between the three venues. Its organization allows for the management and differentiation of public flows according to various occupancy scenarios, as the three halls can operate simultaneously or independently. It is marked by the inverted conical volume of the main arena, making it easily identifiable. The building includes two ground levels and is organized so that the different flows—public, athletes, technicians, performers, staff, and partners—are clear and well separated.

The functional layout supports the multiple uses of the facility. The design of the main arena stems from its versatility, as it must function equally well for shows and concerts as for sporting events. The hall is asymmetrical, with balcony seating on one side to allow for the installation of a stage along the long northern side. In sports configuration, the playing area is surrounded by arena-style seating that brings spectators as close as possible to the action. The technical treatment of this hall is particularly refined so it can be transformed very quickly from one configuration to another—the space completely changes depending on the event. Because concerts have more demanding acoustic requirements, the space is conceived as a performance hall in which sports can also take place, rather than the other way around.