Venue
La Prairie du Cercle, at La Villette park
An unique urban cultural park created in 1979, for relaxation, culture and entertainment, it extends over 55 hectares. It consists of many facilities such as the City of music, the Zenith de Paris, the city of Science and Industry, the Great Hall, the barge cinema and an equestrian center. It also takes under his wing twelve themed gardens and a grassland. This is where the closing ceremony will be held, at the foot of the Geode.
One of the main missions of the park is the opening to the Other and its diversity. It promotes the revival of folk arts, the openness to other cultures and the attention to social issues by promoting new talents while balancing multidisciplinary and artistic demands. Its design is based on the principles of openness and experimentation: no barriers, no boundaries, diverse cultural offerings and varied public reception.
The park is also welcoming people with disabilities, in wheelchairs, with difficulties of view, reading, understanding or hearing.
Finally, this is an eco-friendly park that is deeply committed to the protection and preservation of the environment. In 2010, because of its actions for educational, cultural and social purposes, the park has obtained certification "Ecological Green Spaces" which is given by Ecocert. It demonstrates the reliability and accuracy of the positioning and development of the park.
Closing Ceremony
Total duration: 2 hours (between 9 pm to 11 pm with doors open from 7 pm).
Theme: The future is ours
Comprehensive approach to the space and scenery:
At the foot of the Geode (geode shaped building, located in the Parc de la Villette) a stage receives two masters of ceremony, officials and artists. The stage is surrounded by a gigantic tubular element: the Grande Arche de la Défense (visual in appendix), ark of the fraternity, which marks the architectural evolution of the twentieth century and honores the human rights. A veil covering the entire element will allow to play with lights and, thus, to change the stage atmosphere.
In the background, a giant screen is used as a support for videos, messages and also as a support to illustrate the artistic segments. The scene also hosts the flame of the games.
On both sides of the stage, light columns, like "pillars of progress", create new perspectives. The Eiffel Tower shown at the opening ceremony stands up and the public gathered around here : the Tower thrones in the middle of the audience. The audience waits for the beginning of the ceremony thanks to a band of young talents who in turn interpret international well-known songs. The choruses are displayed on the main screen in order that all audience sings : we are looking for interactivity with the audience and, therefore, a giant karaoke atmosphere is what we aim to create.
