[News] To celebrate the end of the renovation of the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique

The building, emblematic of the heritage of the 1960s in Paris, designed by Henry Bernard and inaugurated by General de Gaulle in 1963, despite its original roughness, stood as the promise of an unprecedented revival. Architecturestudio thus used this rich heritage to transform it. The original asphalt car parks were transformed into a generous urban forest, the first identifiable sign of change. More than 425 trees have been planted.
The radio studios were removed from their fortress and opened to the city. Architecturestudio also reorganised and transformed the routes to adapt to the new needs of the public, journalists, musicians, etc. A nave, a veritable interior street under a glass roof, was created and accompanies users to the central Agora bathed in light. The tower, originally dedicated to the archives, has been transformed to accommodate new double-height offices. Studio 104 is being transformed while retaining its identity to host future electroacoustic concerts at the Maison. The former studios 103 and 102, which had become obsolete, were merged to become the future Grand Auditorium, the highlight of the renovation, a 1462-seat symphonic hall for the 4 ensembles of the Maison ronde.

This transformation was carried out while preserving the image of the Maison, which is so dear to Parisians, and by bringing about a functional and aesthetic renewal of the interior. The original emblematic spaces: foyers, halls, galleries, were restored to their original splendour in the 1960s. The new spaces, resolutely contemporary, dialogue with the heritage and bring the whole back to life.

TECHNICAL SHEET

Client: Radio France
Lead architect: Architecturestudio
Main contractor Phases 3 and 4: SRA ARCHITECTES
Design office: Jacobs France
Fire safety: Cabinet Casso
Economy: Écocités
Facades: T/E/S/S
Scenography: Changement à vue
Acoustics Grand Auditorium: NAGATA ACOUSTICS AMERICA INC
Building acoustics: jean-paul lamoureux
Landscape: Michel Desvigne
Lighting designer: 8’18
photographs : Architecturestudio/ ADAGP/ Luc Boegly / Gaston Bergeret

SOME FIGURES

Building surface area: 110,000 sq. m.
Number of offices: 1000
Number of recording studios: 61
Competition: 2005
Studio capacity: 104,840 seats

Grand Auditorium
Capacity: 1461 seats
Stage size: 12 x 15 m
Maximum distance between the audience and the stage: 17 m
Canopy height: 14.5 m
Opening: 2014