The Chameleon

Le Caméléon is a performance hall and an artistic creation venue. It is the work of Rudy Ricciotti and was designed in keeping with the site and the landscape.

Inaugurated in 2016, Le Caméléon features a 300-seat performance hall, a sports facility and a multi-purpose room. Commissioned by the Clermont Auvergne metropolitan area (at the time called Clermont Communauté) and the municipality of Pont-du-Château, the project was subject to a call for bids won by the firm Rudy Ricciotti. Rudy Ricciotti (1952-) is an architect and engineer. He is the winner of the Grand Prix National de l’Architecture, the gold medal from the Académie d’Architecture foundation and is the designer of the Musée des Civilisations de l’Europe et de la Méditerranée (MUCEM) in Marseille. He is representative of architects who offer original creations alongside state-of-the-art technical know-how. He is also especially attached to the idea of his creations being part of their environment, according to the principle of “sitology” favoured by architects Faye and Tournaire. These architects called for the design of architecture to be connected to the site and meet certain criteria in terms of harmony, scale, form, texture, colour and space.

Built from anthracite concrete, reminiscent of volcanic stone, the building is semi-buried in order not to compete with the landscape looking onto the Chaîne des Puys. There are just two geometric volumes built flush, covered with green terraces, and blending into the environment.

Every year Le Caméléon accommodates several companies in residence to work on their research, writing or design projects. Each season it puts on some twenty dance, theatre and musical productions, with a special emphasis on circus arts and family-friendly events. The building has been certified as a venue for emergence and creation since 2018 by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.