ARCHITECTURAL FOCUS
Cosmocité aims to preserve the industrial memory of the Grands Moulins de Villancourt site .
of the urban agglomeration and the municipalities of Echirolles and Pont-de-Claix in the 19th and 20th centuries .
With its location at the municipality ’ s northern entrance , Cosmocité is the cultural cornerstone of Ville de Pont-de-Claix ’ s urban renewal .
The commission
Taking up the exact placement layout of the demolished building , which could not be reused , the architects created an assemblage of volumes that link the region ’ s industrial past , embodied by the white volume , with the contemporary scientific focus of the new institution embodied by the black volume .
The translucent , glossy white volume houses the passageways and related spaces , while the matte and opaque black volume houses all spaces dedicated to the dissemination of scientific content : the planetarium , immersion room , and permanent exhibition hall . Recalling the universe ’ s great mysteries and humankind ’ s place in the cosmos , the black volume ’ s monolithic , dark , and mysterious quality invites onlookers to fathom its scale , and to reflect on its infinite expanse .
Inside , the vertical and horizontal corridors are bathed in natural light , and offer views of the surrounding landscape .
The volumetric design reflects the building ’ s function and contributes to the site ’ s global message : science that ’ s welcoming and open to all .
The program Cosmocité houses : - An 80-seat planetarium , equipped with a stargazing simulator . The role of a planetarium is to teach and popularize astronomy and space science for both school and family audiences . - A permanent tour based on two themes : “ EARTH ” and “ COSMOS ”. An immersive 3D room , with interactive floor and wall screens - A 14-metre-high Foucault pendulum - A variable activity space : children / youth audience
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