Dance Spaces : Pavillon ADC

Established in Geneva in 1986, the Association pour la Danse Contemporaine (ADC – Association for Contemporary Dance) long operated without a permanent home for its activities. That changed when building work on their physical Pavillon was finally completed in 2021.

An 10-meter-high block perched on Place Beatriz-Consuelo (formerly known as Place Charles-Sturm, it was renamed after the famous Brazilian-Swiss ballerina in 2024), the Pavillon ADC is a wood-paneled building reminiscent of a folioscope. Across its two floors, 1,196 square meters of varied spaces unfold, including a 198-seat auditorium.

After ten years of working out of a co-working space in Geneva’s Eaux-Vives district, ADC’s team has grown accustomed to its new home. Yet they may have to move again in the future: architect Jean Camuzet designed the building so that it can be dismantled and transported, a feature conceived to comply with the temporary authorization granted for its site on Place Beatriz-Consuelo.

Lou Colombani, who was appointed director of the Pavillon in 2025, intends to maintain its focus on programming Swiss and international dance. Developing new ways of collaborating with artists and running think tanks to help the organisation evolve are among her priorities, as is continuing to publish the Journal de l’ADC. Much like CN D Magazine, the publication features reflections on contemporary dance by a wide variety of artists, journalists and scholars.

In this new episode of CN D Magazine’s “Dance Spaces” series, Colombani shares insights into her work at Pavillon ADC. We also hear from her colleagues, including co-curator Léo Chavaz, as well as Cécile Simonet and Viola Poli, who oversee Pavillon ADC’s accessibility and cultural outreach activities—another key focus for the organisation.