Atelier Christian de Portzamparc | Les Jardins de la Lironde

in Architecture by editor — 8:44 am | April 22, 20110 comments

How to live on the outskirts of the city?

Rather than creating an urban zone more or less resembling a city-centre, the project seeks the preservation of the local character and quality of life of a place that does not belong to the city or to the countryside. This project aims at creating density while taking advantage of the natural site’s charm.

The idea is to preserve the landscape, with it’s gardens, olive trees and vines, while implementing built « islands » of four to five levels, the plinth blocks accommodating car-parks to free the ground floor space and allow a direct relation with the gardens.

Within this “open block” conception, the buildings benefit from a dual orientation on both the “terrace-courtyard” and the large and luminous panoramic views on the area.

Christian de Portzamparc conceived the project’s overall lines, thus implementing unity throughout the project (type of concrete plinth blocks, colour scheme, roofing…), and two halves of islands.

Location: Port Marianne, Montpellier, France
Architect: Atelier Christian de Portzamparc
ACDP Team: Marie-Elisabeth Nicoleau, Barbara Bottet, Thierry Wiet, Clémence Heurtaut, Valéry Berger, Karol Claverie
Developer: Société d’équipement de la Région de Montpellier (SERM)
Surfaces:
190 000 sqm SHON (of which SHON housing 140.000sqm) on 40 hectares
Average housing density (COS): 2,7
Ground built surface: 48 000 sqm
Landscape (public park and private gardens): 198 000 sqm
Public roads: 52 500 sqm²
Private properties: 101 000 sqm
Open spaces: 65% of the commercial zone
Photographer: Nicolas Borel