Continuity and heritage
The brand new leisure complex and cultural centre captures the spirit of the once mighty but now defunct shipyards, docks and the grid warehouses at La Seyne-sur-Mer, and is set alongside the new municipal park between the bay and boulevard Toussaint-Merle. The newly completed complex is bordered to the east by a great leisure craft marina and to the west by a recently landscaped public park, at the end of which, just by the old drawbridge, stands a new three star hotel.
The casino is thus at the heart of a series of large existing and future installations in the centre of a cultural and commercial hub which will breathe life into the old brick buildings, docks and the marina extension, along a privileged and autonomous beachfront. The efforts of designers were focused on building a unified architectural arrangement which corresponds with its immediate environment.
This quadrilateral schema is geometrically simple and fits naturally into the orthogonal portion of the land alongside the docklands. Viewed from the park the new complex has the air of an old ship at moored dock, an image that evokes the mixed programme on offer, featuring both a casino yet also a theatre. A large stone square welcomes the visitor to the shared entrance to the casino and theatre, located right in front of the glass watchtower.
As it faces out to sea and because of its geometry the building sets the scene for these emblematic projects such as the gaming rooms and the panoramic restaurant in the old watchtower, which juts out like a platform with a cantilevered extension at the bow of the harbour.
Composition and organisation of programmes
The structural features and differentiated facade principles emphasise the interweaving of different programs and sets the stage for emblematic areas of the building:
– The mineral concrete monolith at the theatre,
– The perforated metal cladded platform in the cantilever to the harbour for the casino
– The three stories high entrance lobby opposite the naval park,
– Gazebos style restaurant tower overlooking the entire panorama
The theatre is incarnated in a concrete mineral monolith and holds a central position in the building connecting the various and distinct parts of the entertainment complex: An aluminium and glass covered plinth is housed in the entrace hall leading to the exhibition space and the administrative areas.
A 106 metres long plateform catilevered on each end houses the casino at one side and a carpark at the other. Finally the restaurants are located in small niches in panoramic positions. The only entrance to the building is from the square and it gives the great hall a central role in distribution and flow of the traffic passing through there.
Key figures
This is the 3rd new generation casino built be Groupe JOA. There are more than 5000m2 with 50 percent of that given over to gaming. More than 200 million euros investment Covered parking for 80 vehicles Gambling facilities Conceived to satisfy all types of gambler from beginners to the inveterate punter the 1000ms gaming space with 150 of the very latest in slot machines with a panoramic view onto the marina. Of the five tables there are two blackjack or pontoon tables and there are three electronic roulette tables. with 23 places at each open all the hours the casino is.
Dining facilities
Two restaurants with sea view one of them semigastronomic «Le 360 degrees», with seating for 40 covers and with seating at the JOA bar. The Bistrot Moderne, with 140 covers the bar is open to all comers with one side accessable to those in the gaming space and a lounge which is also open to all. Multi-leisure space. An arts salon of 100m2 which can host 160 people.The 50m2 restaurant patio which can host 50 people. A 500m2
theatre with a 100m2 stage and a 60m2 dance floor.
Facade and structure
The building has a mixte concrete/steel structure, composed of reinforced concrete cores (vertical loads, auditorium, parking ramp) around which is articulated a steel frame consisting of two longitudinal V trusses – of 106 m long each and two other PRS type girders which specically hold the cantilever of 16 m 50 (36 m wide). The metal frame was manufactured in Charente (Fr) in the workshops of the Vilquin company. Sorce by A H A for DATA.
- Location: La Seyne-Sur-Mer, France
- Architects: DATA
- Project Team: Léonard Lassagne, Colin Reynier, Sylvia Bourgoin, Raphaël Boursier, Clementine Debaere, Edouard Guyard, Eva Salga
- Consultants: Artelia, Mazet&Associés, Batiserf, Vp&Green,
Génie Acoustique - Interior Design: Virginie Curtillet / Studio Divo
- Directeur Technique: Philippe Osmont
- Client: Casino De La Seyne-Sur-Mer, Joa
- Area: 5 100 Sq²
- Year: 2016
- Graphic Documents: DATA
- Graphic Design: Hic Et Nunc Studio
- Photographs: Javier Callejas, Courtesy of A H A for DATA