Espace de projection

Located at the heart of the building beneath Place Stravinsky, the Espace de projection is where IRCAM meets its public, a unique space whose acoustics and scenography can be entirely reconfigured.

The Espace de projection is a variable acoustics hall that can be used as a concert hall, a recording studio, or for room acoustic experiments. This space a structure independent of the rest of the building, therefore isolated from outside noises and vibrations. The largest space in IRCAM, this space is the building's zenith.

“This space is not really a concert hall, but it can project sound, light, audiovisual events — all kinds of events — that are not necessarily linked to traditional instruments.””

Pierre Boulez

IRCAM Founder

Both a research tool and subject, the Espro's audio equipment combines two cutting-edge systems for sound field reproduction: WFS (sound hologram synthesis) and Ambisonics (3D sound immersion). The room features a WFS system consisting of a 264-speaker array evenly distributed around the stage and the audience and a 75-speaker dome for three-dimensional Ambisonic sound diffusion. These 339 loudspeakers are controlled by a set of computers that manage multiple sound source spatialisation in real-time.

This system was installed with the support of the Ile-de-France region (Sesame equipment program), the CNRS, and Sorbonne University.