Sports and Cultural Centre Marie-José Pérec and Joséphine Baker

Easily recognisable even from a distance, the roof peaks of the new sports and cultural centre in La Bouëxière, France, reach a maximum height of 28 m, rising majestically towards the sky and dominating the townscape as impressively as a bastion. Viewed up close, the iconic curve, reminiscent of a half-pipe, comes into full view. The two-part complex comprises a low-rise, reinforced-concrete structure with highly efficient thermal insulation, as well as mainly glulam timber. Another fascinating aspect is the building’s reliance on natural ventilation—and, more specifically, on the principle of thermal convection, whereby the four peaks of the roof facilitate cooling in summer. At night in particular, the building takes on a dramatic and mysterious air, as the light, translucent textile membrane glows softly like a streetlamp in the evening hours. The project is without doubt crowned in (textile) glory.