2003 – Housing André Breton _ Pantin France

 

 
Program center town reorganization : housing, proximity equipment (ex: day-nursery, school, sporting equipment…), equipment of interest exceeding town perimeter (ex: theatre…), professional and commercial premises.
Area approximately 13 hectares
Place Pantin (Paris area), town hall district

General principles To connect the new district with other districts and with other cities. To create a district with its own identity and proximity services. To propose various building typologies where different programs, and social classes are mixed.
 

We create a place that connects administrative and commercial Pantin with its own identity. Including the station, and strongly ‘anchored’ to the neighbouring districts, this area must draw in some of the flows (primarily pedestrian flows), to offer them viewpoints on different parts of the town. To create a planted pedestrian walk through Pantin (including in particular the district to be urbanized). This green walk gives an identity to the place. It prolongs the Parisian walk (canal St Martin, La Villette Park, Ourcq canal) and encourages the walker to go beyond the traditional limit symbolized by the circular route. Without seeking to extend the capital, it links Paris and its suburbs, while preserving their individual identities, Paris and Pantin.

The significant elements of the project are:

- Public facilities: a library / a theatre /a park/ a school/ association premises
- A pedestrian green walk (sometimes underground, sometimes elevated) which crosses the city through several axes (canal, administrative centre, station, park, school establishments, subway). It crosses active sectors and it is not only intended for walkers but also to daily users (« workers « and residents).
- A commercial center (shops, fast food…) connected with the commercial Pantin.
- A lively park (restaurants, coffees) in connection with the center, the theatre and the library.
- Houses extending the existing zone.
- Buildings which open on private cul de sacs for the residential inhabitants.
- Offices at the basement levels of the residential buildings. They are laid out along the streets (and the green walk) with independent entries.
- Artists workshops contiguous to the railways. They are bordered by a pedestrian walkway connected with the green walk.