The New Aquitaine Creative Economy and Culture House (M É CA), spanning 18,000 square meters, creates an innovative art space based on a structural framework. It celebrates contemporary art, film, and performing arts, offering a vibrant public venue for Bordeaux. This center marks the city’s transformation from a coastal area to a dynamic urban environment, serving as a significant gift to its residents.
Located between the Garonne River and Saint Jean train station, the M É CA House of Culture unites three regional art institutions: the FRAC Museum of Contemporary Art, the ALCA Theatre, the Museum of Literature and Audiovisual Arts, and the OARA Center for the Performing Arts. Together, these institutions create a cohesive cultural cycle, reinforcing Bordeaux’s status as a UNESCO-recognized cultural hub.
The new cultural center and its public spaces are designed within the same circular layout as the three institutions. An extended sidewalk transforms into a ramp leading visitors to the city’s “living room.” The facade reveals the stage of the OARA Performance Center, offices in the ALCA building, and the roof and skylight of the FRAC Museum.
Three Cultural Institutions Under One Roof
Visitors can access the heart of M É CA—the 1,100 square meter outdoor urban space—via a series of steps and ramps. This design fosters a highly accessible cultural venue, encouraging free movement between Quai de Paludate Street and the riverside promenade.
A 7-meter-high M É CA logo is illuminated by white LED lights, creating the effect of a modern chandelier within the city’s living room. On special occasions, this outdoor space transforms into a stage for concerts and theatrical performances, or serves as an extended gallery for sculpture exhibitions and art installations. At the riverside entrance stands a half-body bronze statue of Hermès by French artist Benoit Maire, providing visitors with a deeper insight into local contemporary culture.
Outdoor Urban Space
Upon entering through the ground-level gate, visitors arrive at the museum hall featuring a spiral-shaped sunken area designed for relaxation. The Le CREM restaurant is located nearby, furnished with red décor and cork chairs designed by the architectural firm BIGE, inspired by Bordeaux’s renowned wine culture.
(BIM Engineer)
Adjacent to the restaurant and elevator, a large periscope offers visitors views of the outdoor urban space, fostering an engaging indoor-outdoor connection. On the first floor, ticket holders can enjoy performances in the 250-seat theater at the OARA Performance Center. This theater features flexible seating and an optimized sound system, with interiors finished in black checkerboard concrete panels, wood, and perforated metal. Upstairs, cinema enthusiasts can watch films in ALCA’s intimate 80-seat Red Cinema and explore production offices and project incubation spaces.
The FRAC Art Museum occupies the upper levels, offering a 7-meter-high exhibition space, artist studios, storage areas, a 90-seat auditorium, and a café. An 850-square-meter public rooftop platform extends the exhibition area, providing space for large-scale art installations and performances, along with panoramic views of the city and St. Michael’s Cathedral.
The facade of the M É CA Cultural Center is predominantly composed of 4,800 precast concrete slabs, punctuated by windows of various sizes to regulate light and transparency. After sandblasting, each 1.6-ton slab reveals its natural texture, reminiscent of the local Bordeaux sandstone. This treatment gives the building a bright, warm appearance under sunlight, making it a distinctive new landmark within the city’s urban fabric.
Design Drawings:
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Project Information:
Architectural Firm: Bjarke Ingels Group
Location: Bordeaux, France
Category: Cultural Center
Lead Architects: Bjarke Ingels, Jakob Sand, Finn Nørkjær, Andreas Klok Pedersen
Project Managers: Laurent de Carnière, Marie Lancon, Gabrielle Nadeau
Project Team: Alexander Codda, Alicia Marie Sarah Borhardt, Annette Birthe Jensen, Åsmund Skeie, Aya Fibert, Bartosz Kobylakiewicz, Bernhard Touzet, Brigitta Gulyás, David Tao, Edouard Champ (BIM), Espen Vik, Greta Krenciute, Greta Tafel, Hyojin Lee, Ivan Genov, Jan Magasanik, Jeffrey Mark Mikolajewski, Karol Bogdan Borkowski, Katarzyna Swiderska, Kekoa Charlot, Lorenzo Boddi, Maria Teresa Fernandez Rojo, Melissa Andres, Michael Schønemann Jensen, Nicolas Millot, Ola Hariri, Ole Dau Mortensen, Pascale Julien, Paul-Antoine Lucas, Raphael Ciriani, Santiago Palacio Villa, Se Hyeon Kim, Sebastian Liszka, Seunghan Yeum, Snorre Emanuel Nash Jørgensen, Teresa Fernández, Thiago De Almeida, Thomas Jakobsen Randbøll, Yang Du, Zoltan David Kalaszi, Tore Banke, Yehezkiel Wiliardy
Building Area: 18,000 square meters
Completion Year: 2019
Photographers: Laurian Ghinitoiu, Florent Michel
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