La Grange // Lausanne
At La Grange, on the University of Lausanne campus, cultural life gets its vivid colours back, with no excuses when it comes to unforgettable experiences!
Student hangout during the day, La Grange is also a cultural venue that brings theatre and stage performance enthusiasts together after dark. In this centre dedicated to art and experimentation, artists, researchers and the public can dream up new forms of expression together.
To keep with these new ambitions, we have designed a lively setting where the modular space gives pride of place to the arts, the stage and exhibitions. At the heart of this new ideas incubator, the foyer is decorated with bright colours and geometric lines, echoing the creative dynamism of the place.
We have defined several distinct areas, highlighting the stage and creating an exhibition area, while ensuring that the atmosphere is welcoming, both for the students who come to work and the culture connoisseurs who gather here in the evenings.
To give depth to the room, we have played with perspectives: darkening the ceiling, choosing dark blue velvet curtains to frame the rostrum and illuminating the arches in bright yellow to guide the audience’s eye towards the stage.
Existing materials have been showcased to retain La Grange’s authenticity; the floors were sanded and the walls remains almost intact. As a centrepiece, the bar is adorned with a colourful mural. Following a custom-made pattern layout, the different sized and coloured tiles are juxtaposed to create an impressive graphic effect that breathes movement into the space. The bright primary colours are a nod to the avant-garde experimentation of the De Stijl art movement.
With architectural curves, the high chairs, further away from the rostrum, allow the audience to keep an eye on the lively goings-on on stage. Natural and understated tones have been chosen for the furniture to dress up this space where artistic performances prevail.
In the lounge corner, everything has been designed for university life: a common space for ideas and discussions to spring up, where opinions can be shared and exchanged, and books come courtesy of the communal library. That way, student life and cultural activities enrich each other.
Photos Christophe Voisin