urban lounge SaInT-éTIenne

aWP

 

LOCATIONSaint-étienne, France

CLIENTétablissement Public d’Aménagement de Saint-étienne

TEAM AWPMarc Armengaud, Matthias Armengaud, Alessandra Cianchetta

(Partners)Irene Bargues, Ruth Grande, Miguel La Parra Knapman,

Noel Manzano, Chloé Raillard (Project team)

NET SURFACE389 M2

BUDGET80 000 €

COMPETITION2011

DELIVERY2012

IMAGES© AWP, Anna Positano

URBAN LOUNGE SAINT-éTIENNE

URBAN DESIGNURBAN «LIVING ROOMS» CREATING DIFFERENT

ATMOSPhERES AND USES FOR JACqUARD SqUARE

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The value of this public space depends primarily on its

location: a tree-lined path housing a marketplace, from

which user-friendly quiet spaces can be accessed.

Before a succession of formal interventions was

envisioned, the principal consideration was to ensure

the fluidity of circulation around the marketplace.

Above all, it was important to create the potential for

a variety of activities in the public space. The public

space is neither a series of closed squares, nor a mere

passageway, but a succession of urban environments

where a person can choose to stop once, or every day,

during a stroll.

The aim was to establish a sequence of welcoming,

playful areas open to all that would animate the space

day and night, in all seasons. The space is framed by

the naturally sloping ground and the planted valley. The

square has to become a landmark for the surrounding

area, a symbol of civic regeneration and needs strong,

visual landmarks to put it on the map - both at its two

entrances and in the square itself. The overall visibility

of the square reinforces its iconic potential.

DESIGN CONCEPT

Our thinking about the design was based on the idea

of the «urban lounge». having looked at a variety of

living rooms, we have chosen to simplify the urban

lounge to four basic elements.

Order: perspective, emphasized by the pattern and

repetition of elements (furniture, curtains ...)

Textiles: carpets and curtains

Lighting: lamps, sconces and mirrors: a luminous

atmosphere that unfolds the space Furniture: a range

of furniture styles that serve one purpose, to allow

people to gather: loveseats, chairs, chairs ...

Thus, we created a sequence of four thematic

areas with different qualities of soil (for example,

a ceremonial carpet), but located in an open space

without obstructing the view. The identities of this

sequence are strongly characterized by the unity of

the furniture, or more precisely, the tubular structures

that define the space, without being overly imposing.

These structures take the form of chairs, benches,

and equipment for children’s games, but also act as

lighting masts and a lantern.

DETAILED SEqUENCE

An “urban living room”> a room for dancing> a room

for playing> a room for resting.

From the beginning of this sequence, the first room is

represented by the double presence of an iconic lantern

(=gloss) and a water wall fountain (= mirror) that

provide a reception area (without overhanging trees):

a threshold space for cultural activities, meetings,

speeches ... Next, we arrive at the ‘ballroom’, or where

different patterns of circulation intersect the path.

This is the place where people meet when arriving at

the marketplace.

The third room is a space reserved for games, created

for children, offering variations on the theme of

tubular furniture previously revealed as benches and

lampposts. In this room, they are transformed slightly

to support playful activities (gymnastics, climbing,

and swinging). The last room is for those who want

a rest from the “urban flow” - to sit, talk, eat and

read - or for those supervising their children playing

nearby. Further along from this room is a partition that

becomes a screen for projections during the night: this

«lounge space» is geared towards performance (DJ +

VJ), with «chandeliers / lanterns» at either end, The

main lantern is designed to create visual appeal from

the road, as it is not obstructed by trees. It is a tubular

structure with a backlit reflective textile that makes

it a metropolitan landmark by day or night. Below,

a lantern-screen creates a visual echo to the main

lantern and serves as a projection screen for films or

as artistic lighting.

 

urban loungeaWP

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