Sycomore and La Piscine in Roubaix: a unique artistic collaboration for the production of audiovisual content

Housed since 2001 in a former municipal swimming pool inaugurated in 1932, the André Diligent Museum of Art and Industry in Roubaix entrusted Sycomore with the production of audiovisual content in three languages: a dialogue between art, history and technology that enriches the visitor experience.

The Roubaix swimming pool: a place at the heart of history

The story of the pool begins in 1912, when Jean Lebas was elected mayor of Roubaix. A left-wing politician from a working-class family, he wanted to fight tuberculosis, which was wreaking havoc in unsanitary housing after the First World War, and decided to create a public baths establishment for this city of 125,000 inhabitants. The northern French architect Albert Baert designed a building organised around an inner courtyard, in the manner of Cistercian monasteries.

Construction ran from 1927 to 1932. Success was immediate: in the 1930s, up to 500,000 people flocked there every year. When it had to close in 1985 for safety reasons, the decision was made to transform it into a museum, bringing together several collections and donations.

A museum where art meets industry

Shaped by Roubaix's industrial adventure, the museum is a place where the applied arts and the fine arts meet. The textile collections, ranging from Coptic Egypt to the most contemporary creations, are displayed in the former shower cubicles. Around the pool stand the most spectacular sculptures, with works by Rodin, Claudel, Joffre, Bugatti, Pompon and Mérignargues.

The painting collection, devoted to the 19th and 20th centuries, features works by Vuillard, Bonnard, Dufy, Van Dongen, Marquet, Foujita and Gromaire. The decorative arts holdings include numerous ceramics by Picasso and Dufy, stained glass by Grüber, glassware by Gallé, as well as furniture and jewellery.

An immersive sound experience created by Sycomore

Sycomore was chosen to produce the spoken-word adaptation of the visit trail: 54 audio commentaries were produced on the museum's emblematic works and themes, available in three languages (French, Dutch and English).

Sycomore showcased the venue's unique architecture by incorporating sound effects that highlight the beauty of the building and deepen the understanding of the works. Sound is not a mere passive accompaniment, but an active element of the visit, bringing to light details often imperceptible to the naked eye.

Temporary exhibitions with tailored commentaries

Sycomore also produced the commentaries for several landmark temporary exhibitions:

• "Traverser la lumière": a travelling exhibition devoted to a group of French painters who, in the aftermath of the Second World War, preferred the term "non-figurative" to "abstract" to describe their works.
• "L'Algérie de Gustave Guillaumet": a journey through the paintings of Gustave Guillaumet (1840-1887), an essential figure of 19th-century Orientalist painting.
• "Marcel Gromaire, l'élégance de la force": a vast monograph devoted to Marcel Gromaire (1892-1971), a figure of realist and humanist art from northern France.
• "Le cri de liberté : Chagall politique": the first comprehensive reading of Chagall's work through the lens of his political positions and commitment.

Sycomore also innovated in form, introducing interviews with experts and exhibition curators, for deeper insight into the artistic intention behind each work. By combining narration, sound effects and interviews, the company helps make museums more accessible and engaging for everyone.