In Guadeloupe, Kardham leads the revival ff the Centre des Arts et de la Culture in Pointe-À-Pitre

Revealing an architectural heritage

Located at the junction between the historic city centre and the districts developed in the 1960s, in immediate proximity to the city hall, the CAC holds a strategic position within Pointe-à-Pitre. Designed by Jean Le Couteur, this landmark of modern architecture served for over thirty years as a major hub for artistic creation, performance and cultural gathering.

A renovation project launched in 2015 to address seismic compliance and expansion requirements was ultimately abandoned, leaving behind a raw concrete envelope characteristic of Guadeloupe’s architectural heritage. Between 2021 and 2025, the occupation of the site by the Kolektif Awtis Rezistans brought the building back to life, transforming it into a space for free and committed artistic expression.

The current rehabilitation project is driven by both continuity and renewal: preserving the identity and cultural significance of a place deeply rooted in the collective memory, while projecting it into the future. It is based on the reconfiguration of internal volumes, improved circulation flows, and façade redesign to unify the different construction phases from 1978 and 2015.

Building on the existing structure

The project adopts a clear approach: working from the existing structure, composed of the original building and the unfinished 2015 extension, to ensure full compliance, technical upgrading and structural reinforcement.

The site’s recent history is fully integrated into the design. From the early stages, the design team engaged in dialogue with the artists to preserve and transmit this collective memory. The artworks created during this period will be systematically digitised, and some may be preserved on site.

Unifying architecture and defining a new identity

The project engages with the urban landscape, shaped by bold architectural colours and 20th-century concrete heritage. Without denying the building’s original identity, the intervention seeks to unify its different construction phases through a comprehensive façade treatment. A white coating harmonises the existing structures, while perforated aluminium sun-shading elements, adapted to the Guadeloupean climate, form a protective and unifying second skin. A dedicated lighting system enhances the façade and enables occasional projection use, allowing the building to act as a strong urban landmark, visible both day and night.

Clarifying uses at site level

At the site scale, circulation flows are clearly organised. The front of the site is dedicated to public functions. A large landscaped urban park becomes the project’s first showcase. Fully pedestrian, it integrates existing artworks, combines mineral and planted elements to promote rainwater infiltration, and includes colourful carbets supporting multiple uses.

At the rear, areas dedicated to artists, technicians and staff are separated from public flows. Parking and delivery zones ensure logistics suited to a large-scale cultural facility.

A hybrid and evolving cultural facility

Inside, the building is structured into three distinct zones that can operate independently depending on use and schedule. The main hall, the central and transversal space, becomes an indoor public plaza connecting the restaurant, digital arts and leisure areas, resource centre, exhibition space, main auditorium and modular hall. A secondary hall serves artists’ studios and training rooms, while a dedicated entrance is reserved for artists and technical teams.

The main auditorium will offer more than 1,150 seats with multiple configurations. A modular hall on the third level complements the programme with retractable seating. Studios, training rooms, rehearsal spaces and a recording room reinforce the Centre’s role as a place for performance, creation and knowledge transmission.

Strengthening programming and mixed uses

The project has refined the initial programme to enhance the diversity of uses. The internal organisation has been redesigned to encourage synergies between artistic programming, amateur practices, training activities and cultural-related economic functions, notably through catering and exhibition-retail spaces.

An option is being considered to make the rooftop terrace accessible in the future, designed to host up to 180 people. Usable outside performance times, this elevated space would extend the Centre’s activity throughout the day.

Strong local anchoring and a multidisciplinary team

Led alongside engineering consultancies EGIS, SIGMA and SMI, scenographer Dreamed By Us and id scènes (technical scenography), the project integrates scenographic, acoustic and functional dimensions. This combination of expertise is essential for delivering a cultural facility of this scale.

Kardham’s presence in Guadeloupe, through its local offices and teams (notably involved in the rehabilitation of the Basse-Terre and Baie-Mahault correctional facilities), combined with the support of locally based technical partners, ensures close operational management alongside the project owner.