In the same wonderful spirit as that brought about by a circus, the first move that was made while conceiving the new building for the École nationale de Cirque, was to conciliate fascination and efficiency.

Located at the entrance of  the Cité des arts du cirque, above the Cirque du Soleil complex, this 30-meter building, spreading over a 3,500 sq. m. ground surface, accommodates all services related to the academic training of this art.

Conceived based on a modular architecture and including, on one side, a 7-floor office tower of a 3,400 sq. m. surface and on the other, a vertical installation regrouping large volume surfaces (such as training rooms), this new building includes also :

• three technical rooms totaling 1,100 sq. m.
• one athletic area combined to the "chapiteau" covering 300 sq. m.
• technical galeries
• technical grids with access trampoline
• trampoline guards
• bleachers

The selected architecture combines the concrete-based infrastructure to metal-based structures in larger areas.  This economical and tailor-made approach allows efficient application of simple methods that ensure construction efficiency, rapidity and facility.

Services provided

• Validation of budget estimates (structure)
• Concept and preliminary studies
• Detailed engineering in structure
• Plans, design and technical specifications
• Work supervision

The project was realized from January to December 2002