ACADEMY

Project: ACADEMY
Architect: C|A - CIPOLAT_architecture srl

Programme: Building a music academy for the municipality of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe

About: The Berchem-Sainte-Agathe music academy project is notable for its careful integration into its surroundings, and for the way in which it connects the public space with the existing buildings and their uses.

Recognising the importance of the park, the entrance to the building is strategically positioned to begin the walk through the park, with the academy preceding the 'small' theatre, the youth centre, and finally the library. At street level, the building creates a transition between the different scales of the neighbouring buildings. It asserts its presence through fragmented massing. It responds to the alignments of neighbouring buildings, becoming part of the street's built sequence. The building's strategic positioning, set back slightly, establishes a direct connection with the existing cultural facilities while simultaneously enhancing the external spaces — the forecourt, contemplative garden and gentle access — as thresholds and breathing spaces.

The academy is structured around a vertical distribution system that spans three floors. This system acts as the project's distributive and social backbone. It creates diagonal views, visual porosities, and a sense of continuity. Its uncluttered aesthetic creates a peaceful and controlled atmosphere that is both legible and welcoming. The authenticity of the natural materials contributes to the sensory quality of the place, expressed through the building's various functional layers.

In the classrooms, absorbent ceilings and technical linings have been selected to guarantee excellent sound intelligibility, all while respecting the project's sober and robust aesthetic.
The alternating light-coloured brick and wood cladding on the façades give the building a distinctive, calm yet expressive identity that is in keeping with its purpose as a place dedicated to music. The choice of light-coloured facing bricks ensures the building blends in with the chromatic continuity of the street. These bricks provide a compositional basis and are complemented by occasional moucharabiehs, which regulate sunlight, provide privacy for the music rooms and create a play of shadows that changes throughout the day.

The whole forms a unifying building with soft, long-lasting materials that reinforce the activation of the district and offer a rich spatial experience. Each articulation between interior and exterior contributes to the sensitive staging of everyday life.