JC Carbonne

Concrete Wonders

Pavillon Noir

Aix-en-Provence, France

Designer: Rudy Ricciotti

The black concrete bars encasing this performance and rehearsal space for the Ballet Preljocaj are meant to evoke dancers' muscles and movement. Called the Pavillon Noir—"the black pavilion"—the minimalist structure opened in 2006 and was a finalist for the Mies van der Rohe Award the following year. The building's glass exterior provides glimpses of dancers at work in the studio.