Principles

In this project, the main work was to reconcile on the one hand the requirements of the client in terms of density and floor surfaces, profitability necessary for the project and, on the other hand, a necessary search for urbanity and amenity. , in public spaces.

The work focused on the search for a dense organization, in terms of use and spaces, for the future inhabitants.

The search for a contemporary urban atmosphere, that is to say an atmosphere that mixes in a very intimate way, a dense urban network, streets, squares, a mix of uses, with places of nature. Nature and the urban intimately intertwined.

Principles which should now prevail in urban planning: the pre-eminence of pedestrians in public spaces, and therefore the reduction of spaces for cars. This while perfectly mastering the logistics systems.

This project is also an attempt to use principles that have been identified by Jianfei Zhu as structuring the traditional Chinese city,

. The absence of formal geometry, in the western sense.

. The close association between the natural landscape and the urban fabric.

. The assembly of spaces of different scales: from very large to very small.

. The empty center.

 

Park. Microclimate

The idea was to place a large rectangle of nature in the middle of the site. This rectangle concentrates all of the regulatory demand for green spaces for the site. Rather than disseminating plant spaces of more or less reduced dimensions with a vague status of "green space", we chose to concentrate them, and thereby, to reinforce their meaning and importance.

Buildings, housing towers, community facilities, shops, and public spaces are set up around this park in a “dense” configuration. City and nature are in a dialectic where one enhances the other. Around the park develops a network of streets, alleys and squares which concentrate most of the activities.

In addition to its urban role as a park, this large expanse of vegetation will help to compensate for the heat island phenomenon during the summer.

 

Compact city.

The second major principle is that of density. We endeavored not to extend the building over the entire site, but on the contrary, to create four "clusters" which each bring together shops, facilities and residences. The basements (car park, technical rooms and logistics areas) are also concentrated under each district.

This principle, because it saves the soil and also the work of preparation, limits the waterproofing of the soil and therefore leaves spaces available for the infiltration of rainwater.

Pedestrian journeys from one end of the site to the other do not exceed ten minutes, and this in streets lined with shops, facilities and halls of residences. This principle of compactness obviously requires a great deal of work on the prospects and views of each building (towers a hundred meters high, on average). The second job is to ensure that this layout of the residences fits into a framework of low buildings that will define an urban neighborhood atmosphere.