Lighting design for an underground theatre, opened in 2013 in the heart of Marseille’s Euroméditerranée business district, by LM5P – Le Mouton à 5 Pattes.

The new La Joliette theatre was designed by young Marseille architects Nicolas Masson and Guillaume Beccaria, who succeeded in the challenge of offering a place open to the outside, connected to the public space despite its 80% underground location.

Outside, a sober, discreet, almost Zen-like white pediment with large bay windows.

Inside, a large room illuminated during the day by these large windows and at night by lines of light in several colours. This room is a reception area including the reception, the bar and the library with a capacity of 8,000 books. In the middle of the room, a glass roof made of glass pavers provides a natural light well decorated with a multitude of asymmetrically oriented suspensions.

At the side, a staircase leads to the lower space accompanied by triangular-shaped white lampshades.

The lower space is the theatre area comprising a large 400-seat auditorium, a small 100-seat auditorium, a 100 m² rehearsal studio, dressing rooms, set workshops and stage rooms, all illuminated by LED tubes.

For Pierrette Monticelli, co-director of the Théâtre de la Minoterie “it is a very beautiful theatre on a human scale with which we will be able to continue our artistic journey with the various audiences to whom we remain more than ever attentive”.

Architect: NJMH Architectes, Nicolas Masson et Guillaume Beccaria

Lighting Designer : LM5P – Le Mouton à 5 Pattes

Design office: BG Ingénierie

Photo credit: Christophe Pozzo di Borgo

Brands used: Arkoslight, RZB, Delta light, Régent, Designheure, Marset