Demountable timber structure reinvigorates Palais Rameau in Lille

Palais Rameau by Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard

French architecture studios Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard have renovated the Palais Rameau exhibition hall in Lille, inserting a modular and demountable timber frame into its heritage-protected steel shell.

Originally designed in 1878 by Auguste Mourcou and Henri Contamine as a space for horticultural exhibitions, the Palais Rameau is distinctive for its blending of classical and neo-Byzantine motifs, which surround a grand steel-framed greenhouse at its centre.

Interior view of renovated Palais Rameau in Lille — Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard have renovated the historic Palais Rameau in Lille

Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard have adapted the building's interiors with a modular timber structure that slots into its historic facade and is both highly adaptable and entirely demountable.

It is designed to host classrooms, workshops and labs alongside publicly accessible exhibition and workspaces, after the city leased the building to JUNIA – the School of Science and Engineering of Lille Catholic University.

Updated interiors by Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard — A demountable timber frame has been inserted into the steel frame

"This approach not only respects the history and soul of the place, but also meets tomorrow's requirements in terms of sustainability, efficiency and flexibility of spaces," explained the team.

"An innovative and demonstrative architecture is proposed, through a modular and scalable project, designed to consider the future," it added.

Palais Rameau renovation — Its central hall serves as a public exhibition space

Palais Rameau is shortlisted in the sustainable renovation category of Dezeen Awards 2025.

Organised at the edges of the building's large central space, the timber post-and-beam structure is infilled with partition walls that are designed to be easily reconfigured to meet the school's needs.

This has allowed the grand central hall to retain its use as a public exhibition and meeting space. It features movable furniture on wheels and is overlooked by two storeys of classrooms, workshops and labs through full-height windows.

Within the newly created rooms, the modular timber structure is visible alongside the green-painted steelwork of the original heritage structure, along with exposed conduits and ventilation ducts.

Wooden and steel interior of historic structure in Lille — Locally-sourced poplar wood was used for the structure

Materials for the project were sourced within a 100-kilometre radius of the site, including local poplar wood for the timber structure.

"Wood was an obvious choice, for reasons of respect for the building's heritage, reversibility and sobriety, as well as for its aesthetic and structural qualities," explained the team. "More generally, most of the materials are bio-sourced with a cradle to cradle approach."

Workspaces by Atelier 9.81 and Perrot & Richard — Classrooms, workshops and labs have been added to the interior

The work that will take place in the Palais Rameau includes research into new forms of agriculture and food production, continuing the historic building's legacy as a space for horticultural work.

Previous projects by Atelier 9.81 include a harbour master's office and lookout point on the Calais coastline, which was designed as a staggered stack of concrete blocks.

Another building shortlisted in the sustainable renovation category of the Dezeen Awards 2025 is Space House in London, which was renovated and extended by British studio Squire and Partners.

The photography is by Nicolas da Silva Lucas.

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