The Corso cinema opened its doors in 1949, following the purchase and conversion of the former Grand Hôtel cinema. It continued the tradition of film screenings organized by the hotel, inaugurated in 1906, in the midst of the real estate boom in the new town around the Renens train station. In 1979, a discotheque was set up in the basement, but in 1992 an explosion put an end to its activities. The building was demolished in 1999. Under the square that was subsequently laid out, the debris lies dormant. Silence, darkness and humidity have taken over the premises.
In the spring of 2024, Thomas Mailaender and students from the ECAL Photography Bachelor’s program entered the ruins of the club with the intention of bringing it back to life. Between archaeology, documentary research and imaginary speculation, the adventurous group put together a surprising exhibition trail mixing mold and glitter, ashes and glamour. Over the course of an evening, the Corso will be filled with explosive sounds and images in a fiery tribute to Renens nights.
This publication was made possible thanks to the generous support of the City of Renens.