Undertaken by LAN (Local Architecture Network), the Amédée Saint-Germain District in Bordeaux blends historical context with forward-thinking architecture. Located in a former military barracks area, the project encapsulates the ongoing dialogue between past and future, between tradition and innovation, resulting in a neighbourhood where diverse architectural styles and modern lifestyles coexist harmoniously.
Context and Vision:
LAN's approach to the new district's buildings accommodates the rich history of Bordeaux while addressing the city's growing need for functional, sustainable urban spaces. The original military installations in the area left behind large open spaces and robust historical buildings. The architects at LAN transformed these elements, emphasizing urban density while preserving the area's identity. Originally, this area housed military installations, which left behind large open spaces and robust historical buildings. The architects at LAN transformed these elements, emphasizing urban density while preserving the area's identity.
The new district integrates residential, commercial, and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment where work, leisure, and daily life interconnect. By maintaining a balance between these functions, LAN enhances both the social and urban experience, shaping a neighbourhood that meets the needs of modern life without losing sight of its historical roots.
Architectural Features:
LAN's master plan combines historic buildings with contemporary architecture, creating a dialogue between old and new.
The first step in developing the project's architectural vocabulary involved researching the surrounding historic architecture. This study led to a geometry capable of transcending building typology and scale: the double height.
Overall, the facades are variations of the traditional Bordeaux "échoppe" façade theme: common floor heights shared by all buildings, minimal ornamentation, and composition on a grid. Further to this, stone is used to transition towards the new district.
The project aims to make urban housing as attractive as individual houses, which offer advantages in terms of privacy and outdoor space but without environmental and territorial drawbacks. Each building offers various housing types, reflecting different relationships with the outdoors and specific lifestyles.
Duplexes designed like stacked "échoppes," apartments with large continuous loggias, offer diverse living spaces. These various layouts, programs and sizes preserve the uniqueness of each residence, all within a coherent overall architectural framework.
Community and Social Life:
A key objective of the district is to foster a strong sense of community. The district's layout encourages social interaction by including shared spaces like parks, playgrounds, and meeting areas. Commercial and cultural spaces scattered throughout the neighbourhood add to the district's vibrancy, ensuring that residents have access to essential services while also creating a lively, diverse environment.
The project's emphasis on social interaction is reflected in its open design, with public spaces woven into the heart of the district. This design approach facilitates spontaneous encounters, fostering an intimate and inclusive neighbourhood atmosphere.
Urban Connectivity:
The surrounding neighbourhood features long, narrow blocks with a mineral-built frontage and vegetated core. The proposed layout includes a suspended garden visible from the street and the lobbies, integrating greenery into a mineral environment. A garden on the parking deck, surrounded by paved paths and green spaces, offers different vegetation layers to manage views and biodiversity. Pedestrian circulation uses the 'cale bordelaise' style, and planted areas interface the residences and the garden, replacing fences.
Finally, sustainability plays a central role in LAN's design philosophy. The Amédée Saint-Germain district is not only visually appealing but also environmentally responsible. The project focuses on energy efficiency through well-thought-out building techniques, incorporating high-performance insulation and using renewable energy systems.
