Omnipresent in the Pantin building and magnified by Jacques Kalisz’s architectural gesture, concrete is an integral part of the CN D's identity. The French government, which became the owner of the building in 2022, will be carrying out major work on the exterior facades of the CN D. A few words on the history of the building will help you understand what is at stake in this renovation, which is vital for the longevity of concrete.
The Centre national de la danse building is a monument of Brutalist architecture. Its first vocation was to house the administrative center of the city of Pantin, a project conceived and driven by Jean Lolive, the city’s mayor in the 1960’s. Built by Jacques Kalisz and other members of the AUA, the building was inaugurated in 1973. Designed as a “people’s palace” with massive geometric forms, the building was conceived as a functional and symbolic place, its facades marked by totems representing various public services: the court, the French social security, taxes, a police station...
The austere aesthetics of the building were initially not much appreciated by Pantin residents. The various departments were eventually redeployed in the city during the 1990’s. In 1997, the city of Pantin made the building available to the State for a symbolic franc under an emphyteutic lease, with a view to housing the Centre National de la Danse, created by the Ministry of Culture a year later in 1998 as a resource center for the choreographic sector. The building was then transformed to accommodate all the CN D’s activities. The rehabilitation was entrusted to architects Antoinette Robain and Claire Guieysse, who worked to preserve the original Brutalist spirit while adapting it to its new uses: dance studios, a media library, performance halls, workspaces, and later a projection room, a terrace roof... The architects also enlisted the help of artists: lighting designer Hervé Audibert, typographer Pierre di Sciullo and sculptor Michelangelo Pistoletto. The renovation project was awarded the Equerre d'Argent in 2004. In 2016, with the intervention of the Berger & Berger agency, the building was redesigned to better open up to its local surroundings; the entrance was moved, and a gallery, restaurant and free spaces accessible to all were created. The building received the “Remarkable contemporary architecture” label at the start of 2024, thus honoring its original architect, Jacques Kalisz.
After more than 50 years of being in operation, the concrete on the exterior facades is deteriorating and showing signs of major damage. Renovation will give the building back its original strength. The renovation is designed for the long term, thanks to an innovative technical process that modifies the core and structure of the concrete. The work will last around 3 years, and will be carried out in localized phases on each wing of the building. Starting in September 2025, the CN D will be partially closed, maintaining certain activities in Pantin and forging off-site partnerships for the remainder of its programming.
A quick overview of the conditions of access to the building in the Fall of 2025:
— some studios will remain open for: residencies, dancers’ daily classes and training, and various projects in partnership with social structures and local schools.
— the media library will be open Wednesdays to Fridays from 1pm to 7pm.
— coworking spaces will be closed.
— the restaurant will also be closed
— access to the health studio, the office for professionals, and all pro spaces will be by appointment only.
