Roland-Garros Stadium Modernization / Chaix & Morel et Associés

Curated by Paula Pintos

Architects: Chaix & Morel et Associés
Area: 20170 m²
Year: 2019
Photographs:11h45
Manufacturers: Codina, Maille Metal
Lead Architects: Chaix & Morel et Associés

Text description provided by the architects. Roland-Garros is a legendary international tournament, a sports event with worldwide media coverage that welcomes more than 400,000 visitors during the competition fortnight. The objective is to remodel the entire existing Roland-Garros stadium (the historic triangle operation) and in particular the construction of a new public relations ‘Village’.

The rehabilitation project provides a quality setting that mixes players, spectators, professionals, enthusiasts, and amateurs to reinforce the status of the major not-to-be-missed tennis event while maintaining the spirit of conviviality and celebration characteristic of the tournament.

Home to the public relations Village, the new administration building is now a key element of the stadium midway between the two centre courts, an assembly of 6 refined volumes in pairs, offset and located at different heights. This fragmentation projects an image of pavilions within a park. Like a theatre, the village is organised in three sequences: lounges built-in ‘terraces’ like stands, the central space identical to a parterre opens towards the staged site. The whole is planned around an 880m² ‘village square’, planted with three magnificent pines. Located on two levels, the adjoining spaces form an amphitheatre reminiscent of Italian renaissance theatre boxes, where people come to see and be seen. The private terraces of each lounge have a direct view of the Village square.

This approach compiles the existing qualities of conviviality, hospitality, and functionality (former Village) and provides additional commercial and event spaces that enable it to maintain its reputation and international attractiveness while reinforcing the ‘Roland Spirit’. On the south, the Village opens towards courts 7 and 9 through a very large 28m by 8m high ‘window’ which facilitates visual and auditory contact with the tennis matches from the terraces. The change in level between the stands of the adjoining courts and the Village square makes it possible to reconcile VIP privacy and the concentration of players.

To provide quality spaces where the proposed contemporary architecture is in keeping with the established image of the tournament, the legendary elements of the Village and the site are used again - the extensive use of timber at ground level, planted terraces that evoke hanging gardens, large white canopies, dapper furniture, sleek signage.

The heavily planted pavilion roofs provide an exceptional space accessible to guests. In total, more than 2,320 m² of the Village is devoted to outdoor spaces (timber decks and planted spaces), all readily accessible. The same architectural language that mixes the sober small pavilion volume, enamelled glass and stainless-steel mesh is used throughout the site and new constructions for architectural and visual coherence (Village, Boulevard d'Auteuil access, operations post-security control, Fonds des Princes access, Nord principal access, museum, shop).