Le Phare

Multi-functional complex with a capacity of 6,000 people.

The multi-functional complex, inaugurated in January 2009, consists of a 6,000-seat hall designed for sports, cultural, and economic events, as well as a secondary 500-seat venue.

The building is composed of functional elements with distinct forms, all integrated into a circular platform. With its strong architectural identity—defined by a glass ring encircling an elliptical shell—Le Phare makes a bold visual statement in the landscape. This object, a grand geometric composition, becomes a key focal point, anchoring and enhancing a previously fragmented urban fabric.

Beyond its urban role, the project is a high-performance tool tailored to a wide range of uses. Designed with the principle that technology should serve form and transparency, the complex offers a rich experience both from the inside and in its urban expression.

Client : Chambéry Métropole

Location : Chambéry, France

Size : 20 440 m²

Status : Delivered

Date : 2008

Key points

Scalability:and modularity.
Free flowing movement.
People flow management.
Durable materials.

Environmental perfomances

Natural ventilation via glass roof.
Solar thermal production.
Photovoltaic collectors.
Geothermal energy using groundwater (water at 8°C): free-cooling.

Download the project sheet

Intentions – Bias

A gently sloping embankment sets the scene, softening the presence of the main hall and its surrounding promenade, from which only the technical volume of the stage tower emerges—clad in a metallic skin that plays with reflections.

Through this sphere of attraction, a festive point of crystallization, the city becomes a shifting backdrop, animated by powerful lighting.

This “object,” a grand geometric composition, thus becomes a key nodal point in the landscape—a beacon within the urban fabric.

The glass ring transforms into a communication screen, layered with multiple transparencies, beneath which the promenade orchestrates the ballet of the public.

The magic once found in traveling circuses is here reinterpreted in a contemporary way, as captivating from within as it is in its urban expression.

We designed a complex marked by symbols that reflect its purpose, echoing the technologies of performance: light, dynamism, and transparency.

Circulation

The layout organizes functions by distributing open spaces—spaces for living. Structured around numerous patios and green areas, the project finds in these openings a scale more attuned to everyday life and the surrounding landscape.

A circulation network, treated like the streets of a city, connects the various functions. These are arranged according to levels of protection, with access to certain zones restricted. Within this mesh, each function finds its place in a clear logic of flow.

The circular organization allows service functions to be positioned around the served spaces—the main halls—minimizing transfer distances. The dedicated area for artists and athletes lies in the interval between the two halls.

A circulation network, treated like the streets of a city, connects the various functions.

Materials

Although strongly defined by the landscaped embankment and the glass-and-steel ring, the architecture remains otherwise understated and enduring. The materials used—metal, glass, and concrete—offer the necessary resilience to ensure the lasting presence of a contemporary yet timeless image for this major facility.

The volumes of the ancillary halls are clad in elegant perforated metal panels, while the peripheral ground-floor functions are finished in exposed concrete.

The ring is composed of a radiating steel structure in natural aluminum color, supporting overlapping glass elements. Each glass panel extends into a micro-perforated sunshade blade made of lacquered aluminum or stainless steel. The volumes of the ancillary hall and the stage tower are clad in embossed aluminum-zinc metal panels. The elliptical shell is covered with large-format flat red cladding.

Scenography

Show Configurations :

To ensure the required extra width for the transverse aisles without interrupting the continuity of the telescopic seating rows, 8.7 cm risers have been integrated.

Sightlines are satisfactory for all spectators, as the flat seating area is limited to just five rows in front of the stage.

Handball and Multi-Sport Configurations :

The nested platforms are folded in groups of two or three to form bleacher tiers ranging from 52.5 cm to 26.2 cm in height, ensuring the required extra width for transverse aisles without interrupting the continuity of the telescopic seating rows.

In the current stage of the project, the height of a single platform—no more than 17.5 cm (except for the top row)—does not allow for integrated seating.

The handball configuration therefore requires the manual installation of six rows of 80 chairs, totaling 480 seats, on one side of the hall only. The opposite side can be equipped with automatic bleachers with integrated seating.

Signage

The signage at Le Phare was designed in harmony with the architectural project. The graphic elements, intentionally clear and aesthetically simple, ensure excellent legibility. This is especially important as spectators need to find their way easily within large crowds.

Le Phare is a chameleon-like project, capable of managing transitions quickly and radically.

Team

Patriarche (Architecture, Interior Architecture, MEP Engineering, Environmental Quality, Cost Management, BIM, Signage)
Partners: Arcora, GECC-AICC, Plantier, Rioualec, Echologos, Les Éclaireurs

Credits

Program

Culture-Sport

Graphic

Public

FFT

Saint-Apollinaire