A new performance venue in downtown Sherbrooke, Que., has a flexible design that accommodates theatre, dance, circus arts, and productions for young audiences.

Atelier Paul Laurendeau, in consortium with NEUF architectes, won the architectural competition for the project, called Le Grand-Espace, in 2020. The building forms part of Sherbrooke’s Wellington South Sector Intervention Program, which aims to support social, cultural, and economic development in the neighbourhood.

Connected to the Centre des arts de la scène Jean-Besré (CASJB), the venue features a tinted-glass curtain wall that opens onto a shared forecourt. Coloured glazing brings natural light into the foyer, while painted aluminum panels clad the side and rear elevations.

Reconfigurable space

The exterior also incorporates a large photographic artwork by Estrie artist Bertrand Carrière. The building centers on a black-box performance hall with motorized seating tiers and retractable technical grids. These features allow crews to reconfigure the space for conventional stage productions, theatre-in-the-round, and smaller, more intimate performances.

The project also includes administrative offices, a green room, three dressing rooms, loading facilities, and storage. A peripheral corridor connects the foyer, performers’ areas, and loading zone, helping manage movement among audiences, performers, and technical staff.

Sound-absorbing black rock-fibre acoustic panels help isolate the hall from exterior noise and control reverberation in the vestibule.

Interior finishes and wayfinding draw on theatrical design, with red, black, and gold dominating the palette. The double-height foyer uses coloured glazing to filter daylight, while a black velvet curtain can enclose the space for smaller performances. Removable wooden bleachers provide seating for productions aimed at very young audiences.

Sherbrooke Mayor Évelyne Beaudin said the venue reflects the city’s commitment to culture, young people, and downtown vitality.

Since opening, Le Grand-Espace has received two DNA Paris Design Awards: one in Architecture — Cultural Architecture and another in Interior Design — Civic Buildings.