In conjunction with the opening of spaces for circus arts located in the northwest of the Parc de la Villette (1982-1998), Bernard Tschumi Architects designed a ticket tent situated on the podium of Folie L4 (originally a music venue). The tent needed to have an iconic presence and meet strict functional and budgetary requirements, while taking into account contextual constraints.

How to approach a project to extend an existing historical building, designed by oneself, with landmark status, without altering it? According to Bernard Tschumi’s specifications from the 1980’s, all additional elements had to be able to be added or removed without interfering with the original structure. For example, the hyperbolic paraboloid of the tent was conceived so as not to interfere with the megabeam of the existing Folie.