Centre Européen de Musique
Centre Européen de Musique

Architecture, creating a world-class signature
D&A and Snøhetta 

This project is the vision of the CEM in Bougival as imagined by the winning project of the AMI launched in 2019 (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Centre Européen de Musique

Awarded the Équerre d'Argent and the Grand Prix d'Urbanisme in France, the Devillers et Associés agency is driven by a project-based, reflexive and operational dynamic. Its work is organized around a general approach and a global vision of the city, facing the challenges of the 21st century, with a clear focus on sustainable urban planning. As such, it is renowned for the of the Zac de Bonne in Grenoble (France), the first award-winning eco-district part of the European Concerto programme since 2009. D&A has also created and designed the Ginko eco-district (Bordeaux) and the Danube eco-district (Strasbourg).

Centre Européen de Musique

Snøhetta is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and brand design office based in Oslo, Norway and New York City, US. Snøhetta has received the World Architecture Award for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Oslo Opera House, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Since its completion in 2008, the Oslo Opera House has also been awarded the Mies van der Rohe Award, the EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association) Great Places Award and the European Prize for Urban Public Space. In 2010, Snøhetta’s works’ coherence with their environment was awarded the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture. It is also known for the Lillehammer Art Museum, the Institut de Neurologie de la Méditerranée (INMed) in Marseille, the creation of Lascaux IV, the construction of the new headquarters of French press group Le Monde and the renovation of the Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers .

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Building and architecture of the Centre Européen de Musique

The main goal is to offer an easy and seamless access to the site while offering this unique experience of the CEM cultural center to a larger number of visitors.

The building has therefore been developed in a succession of sloping, vegetated areas. This succession allows both a gradual ascent towards the southern part of the site, but also to implement a set of programmes inserted in these folds.

• The first two folds and the central elements of the ascent are home to the Agora, the Academy and the CEM main entrance. The upper part of these folds offers an outdoor sitting area integrated as part of the building, an invitation for a pause or to attend performances on Carmen Square.

• The last fold, more generous, is home to the auditorium and to the restaurant, offering panoramic views on the Seine river. This higher elevation, acting as a lantern, is a contemporary signature perfectly inserted as part of the heritage landscape of Bougival.

Located off the main trail, it offers a green meadow on the rooftop, a grassy rest area for the district community and an invitation to a broader local, national and international audience.

projet architectural centre européen de musique (cem)
Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Programmatic elements

In its current inception, the CEM is composed of 6 programmatic elements distributed across a series of new buildings designed in compliance with today’s eco-responsible standards, and comprises the following:

• Music Academy: Académie Pauline Viardot
• Auditorium: Auditorium Georges Bizet, including a jazz club
• Agora of Musical Cultures and Traditions Yehudi Menuhin
• Research Laboratory for the links between music and the brain
• Therapeutic and athletic centre
• Inter-generation residence

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Architecture, creating a world-class signature
D&A and Snøhetta

This project is the vision of the CEM in Bougival as imagined by the winning project of the AMI launched in 2019 (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Centre Européen de Musique

Awarded the Équerre d'Argent and the Grand Prix d'Urbanisme in France, the Devillers et Associés agency is driven by a project-based, reflexive and operational dynamic. Its work is organized around a general approach and a global vision of the city, facing the challenges of the 21st century, with a clear focus on sustainable urban planning. As such, it is renowned for the of the Zac de Bonne in Grenoble (France), the first award-winning eco-district part of the European Concerto programme since 2009. D&A has also created and designed the Ginko eco-district (Bordeaux) and the Danube eco-district (Strasbourg).

Centre Européen de Musique

Snøhetta is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and brand design office based in Oslo, Norway and New York City, US. Snøhetta has received the World Architecture Award for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Oslo Opera House, and the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Since its completion in 2008, the Oslo Opera House has also been awarded the Mies van der Rohe Award, the EDRA (Environmental Design Research Association) Great Places Award and the European Prize for Urban Public Space. In 2010, Snøhetta’s works’ coherence with their environment was awarded the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture. It is also known for the Lillehammer Art Museum, the Institut de Neurologie de la Méditerranée (INMed) in Marseille, the creation of Lascaux IV, the construction of the new headquarters of French press group Le Monde and the renovation of the Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers .

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Building and architecture of the Centre Européen de Musique

The main goal is to offer an easy and seamless access to the site while offering this unique experience of the CEM cultural center to a larger number of visitors.

The building has therefore been developed in a succession of sloping, vegetated areas. This succession allows both a gradual ascent towards the southern part of the site, but also to implement a set of programmes inserted in these folds.

• The first two folds and the central elements of the ascent are home to the Agora, the Academy and the CEM main entrance. The upper part of these folds offers an outdoor sitting area integrated as part of the building, an invitation for a pause or to attend performances on Carmen Square.

• The last fold, more generous, is home to the auditorium and to the restaurant, offering panoramic views on the Seine river. This higher elevation, acting as a lantern, is a contemporary signature perfectly inserted as part of the heritage landscape of Bougival.

Located off the main trail, it offers a green meadow on the rooftop, a grassy rest area for the district community and an invitation to a broader local, national and international audience.

Centre Européen de Musique

Architectural design proposal (© Linkcity, D&A, Snøhetta)

Centre Européen de Musique

Programmatic elements

In its current inception, the CEM is composed of 6 programmatic elements distributed across a series of new buildings designed in compliance with today’s eco-responsible standards, and comprises the following:

• Music Academy: Académie Pauline Viardot
• Auditorium: Auditorium Georges Bizet, including a jazz club
• Agora of Musical Cultures and Traditions Yehudi Menuhin
• Research Laboratory for the links between music and the brain
• Therapeutic and athletic centre
• Inter-generation residence