Strasbourg Human Rights Sports Center: a Multi-purpose Venue

Dominique Coulon & Associés, Middle Density, Project, Territory and mobility, Urban Paradigms

Concrete, Educational Building, France, Multifunctional building, Project, Sports Facilities, Strasbourg, Texture, Urban landscape, Urban Paradigms

Strasbourg has had the status of European capital since 1948; it is the seat of the European Parliament and of the European Court of Human Rights. The city’s authorities quite naturally decided to accept a proposed educational offer designed to meet the expectations of the European and international civil servants working in the city by creating a European school. The school’s educational model, based on a multicultural approach, wide use of different languages, and emphasis on both children’s autonomy and parents’ involvement, covers a full school curriculum, from nursery school right through to the European baccalaureate. The school is located in the leafy neighbourhood of Robertsau, near the European and international institutions. The school has nearly one thousand pupils and, to meet its requirements and those of local residents, the municipal authorities in Strasbourg decided to build an open sports centre. The programme called for the creation of a multi-sport hall and a multi-purpose hall capable of serving as a venue for events not involving sports.