Témoignage
Christian Devillers, architect and grand prix Français d’urbanisme prize winner, talks about the La Berge du Lac development in Bordeaux
“La Berge du Lac in Bordeaux is the largest urban development contract awarded in France this year, and it was won by Bouygues Immobilier!”
BORDEAUX LES BERGES DU LAC (33000)L'interview
The aim of the ambitious urban development project at La Berge du Lac is to create a new community on the banks of a man-made lake to the north of Bordeaux, with the emphasis on social diversity. The planned development will include parks, open spaces, canals and social housing.
What directions would you like to give to this project? “Primarily, I want this project to be a dynamic one. The development of this new community will bring a new energy to the northern edge of the city, with the inclusion of public facilities like schools, a college and local services. The tramway will also run through this new community. The second thing that is central to this project is the enhancement of the natural environment, with 40,000 m² of open space planned. We are also focusing on sustainable development: all the buildings will meet HQE® standards, and issues such as water treatment and energy saving have been integral to our considerations from the outset. Lastly, we want to achieve real social and intergenerational diversity. 500 of the 1,550 residential units are earmarked as social housing.”
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You have described this project as symbolic. Why?
- “Under a European directive, local authorities have recently been obliged to allow private companies to bid for urban development projects. The development at La Berge du Lac in Bordeaux is the biggest contract of this type yet to be offered in France… and Bouygues Immobilier won it!”
Why do you think Bouygues Immobilier was awarded this contract?
- “The success of this tender is due primarily to close and highly-effective cooperation between all those involved. The Communauté Urbaine de Bordeaux and the City of Bordeaux supplied us with a very detailed specification produced on the basis of preliminary studies. The path forward was therefore very clearly marked. We then worked together as a very close-knit and complementary team: Bouygues Immobilier, the architectural practices, Signes Paysages on the landscaping of open areas, Terre Eco on environmental issues, urban security consultants F2C, and many others.”