Auditorium and Movie Theater Saint Cyprien, France

Serero Architects
Concrete Canopy


The Concrete Canopy building is located in the middle of a park with sycamore, acacia, oak and poplar trees. Inspired by the silhouettes of the trees Serero architects created a computer script, generating a facade that assembles non-repetitive and non-standard components.
The building’s roof, despite its irregular appearance, is generated from simple geometrical rules, allowing a variation of shapes between the elements.

The building was not conceived as an isolated object but rather as an open space in continuity with, and responding to, the rhythm of trees in the park, bringing the landscape into the building.

“ ... Trees are often a source of inspiration to me; they are complex structures elaborated from simple rules, growing coherently and continuously in time and space. The efficiency of those structures are based on the notions of redundancy and differentiation in opposition to the concepts of modern engineering such as modern optimisation and repetition...”
David Serero

The double concrete shell with its egg-shaped perforations, inspired by the shadows from the leaves, gives the impression of foliage.
The external shell acts as a large sun umbrella, protecting the lobby and the auditorium from the sun. The internal glass and concrete shell regulates and controls the heating and ventilation levels.

“It is a concrete “pebble” under “foliage” that visitors will follow to enter the auditorium.”
David Serero

In order to obtain maximum intimacy, and flexibility, the auditorium is divided into seven seating zones of different sizes. The internal wooden slat walls respond to the acoustical conditions necessary for both concerts and movies.

The structure is designed like a “living” skin with the ability to regulate the atmosphere inside. During the day it lights up the auditorium and, at the end of the day, lamps located inside the oculus compensate for the lowering light levels until daylight returns.
It ventilates the building passively during the summer and warms it during the winter. Photovoltaic panels, placed on the south side of the building, contribute to the energy necessary for the building.

Serero Architects won First Prize in the 2007 competition.

Total area: 1500 square meters
Construction start: Fall 2008

Client: South Roussillon community council
Architects: Serero Architects
Project Team:
David Serero
Taichi Sunayama
Lionel Léotardi
Rodrigo Garcia-Sayan
Fabrice Zaini
Min-Seung Shin
Engineers: Beterem Ingénierie
Acoustics: Pierre Pasquini