newsletter n°31

november 2015

A promise is a promise : in our previous newsletter, that of our 30 years, we announced newsletter No. 31 within 6 months… and we have kept our word ! It will take you in the steps of our projects from Le Havre to Sydney via Belfort, Cap d'Agde and, of course, Grand Paris..
It transports you from station to port, and from plazza to new neighbourhood, on foot, by tram or metro...
Let's go!

Grand Paris metro in MAC VAL

The big event was the spring opening of the exhibition "Les Passagers du Grand Paris". At the MAC VAL, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Val-de-Marne / Vitry-sur-Seine, stations along the first section of the Grand Paris Express that will connect the Pont de Sèvres to Noisy-Champs in 2022 were exhibited.
18 models and perspective drawings of the preliminary designs were presented for the first time to the public of what will be the new "sensual" metro as envisaged by Jacques Ferrier, author of the architectural charter for the new network. Our two stations, Champigny-Centre and Bry-Villiers-Champigny, were particularly appreciated by the press; from Ville Rail et Transport to Beaux-Arts Magazine. And the maintenance and storage depot even caught the attention of President Hollande during his visit to the inauguration.
To the great satisfaction of Gonzalo Mouesca and Patrick Rochard, our two project architects in charge, who have thus undertaken the first BIM projects at Richez_Associés... and 5 more years of effort ahead before appreciating the shimmering ceiling at Champigny-Centre, the large south glazed facade at Bry-Villiers-Champigny and the copper north lights of the maintenance depot.

Richez Associes - Grand Paris metro in MAC VAL

new neighbourhoods in Jouy-le-Moutier and Mauguio

Initiated by competitions in 2007 and 2003, the Charolais-Rotonde in Paris and the Grisettes neighbourhoods in Montpellier reach completion whilst the first phase of the Meuniers neighbourhood in Bessancourt commenced, first noticed during the Forum des Projets Urbains at Porte Maillot. Meanwhile Anna Perroux and Elsa Forget develop two important projects: the ZAC des Eguerets in Jouy-le-Moutier, within the Cergy-Pontoise urban agglomeration, and the ZAC de la Font in Mauguio, the municipality where the Montpellier airport is located.
Two new neighbourhoods will soon be developed in Jouy-le-Moutier, a municipality where "townhouse" programmes were extensively developed by the New Town during the 1980s, that of Bruzacques, a new centre in brick and tiles around a shopping square ( workshop design sessions have coordinated the three architectural projects in order to insert and give consistency to the composition) and that of Forboeufs, the last neighbourhood to be built at the edge of the Vexin Plateau. Timber will be extensively used in a neighbourhood rhythmed by vast swales stacked on the hill to open onto the agricultural and forest landscapes.
A similar approach will link La Font neighbourhood in Mauguio with the market garden plain. Major flooding issues, of course - the terrible Cévennes storm episodes do happen there, every other year! Also, within a small town proud of its medieval village that refuses to develop blocks of flats, the subject of urban form is how to build a dense city? In depth studies carried out with Franck Boutté Consultants have identified and recommended patio style homes that, combined with detached housing in terraces, some detached and some blocks of flats, will give the neighbourhood a strong contemporary and sustainable Provence identity. A vast undertaking, the first phase of which should be completed early 2018!

Richez Associes - new neighbourhoods in Jouy-le-Moutier and Mauguio

the competition gallery

As for competitions, a series of three car parks marked the year 2015. Different locations call for different projects; in Ile-Saint-Denis, long timber plank gangways run from one Seine bank to another whilst, along the edge of the freeway in Rennes, a corbelled ramp sculpture manifests itself, and amidst the undergrowth in Besançon thin plateaus in clear concrete unfold between swales planted with ash trees and ferns.

Richez Associes - the competition gallery

A major event in Nantes is a design and build project for a new station mezzanine undertaken with the contractor, Razel-Bec. Within a hostile environment, we proposed a station that provides an overlook on the trains within a vast hall. The lengthy procedure, with three stages spread over 18 months, resulted in the appointment of Rudy Ricciotti... Long live his very clearly composed station that extends the botanical garden within an almost fractal structure... and good luck to contractor too!

Richez Associes -

In competition with Zaha Hadid and A+ (Montpellier), whilst a project for the Convention Centre and Casino in Cap d'Agde is finalized under the direction of Paul Andreu, the preliminary design for multimodal Vitry-Alfortville link nears completion. At the centre of a major regeneration project developed by EPAORSA, from the future Grand Paris Express Ardoines Station, an abundantly planted landscaped bridge will be installed over the Austerlitz rail tracks, followed by a boulevard that crosses the plain of the Seine and connects to an overhead bridge. In competition with Reichen and Robert and Barani/Devillers, it was a great pleasure to be declared last March, with Artelia and Lavigne & Cheron Architectes, winners of the competition subsequently exhibited during October at the Maison de l'Architecture des Récollets.

Richez Associes -

under construction...

Two major projects are under construction:
- in Massy, the subdivision and reconstruction of an underground car park to provide a square in front of the Opera and the construction of new blocks on the ZAC des Franciades. Yvan Gagey oversees the delicate underpinning of occupied premises.
- in Le Havre, the convention centre in the Café docks is a design and build project with the contractor, Spie Batignolles. Led by Katharina Kriener, the structural work and facade engineering are underway for delivery at the end 2016 in time to celebrate 500-year anniversary of Le Havre.

Richez Associes - under construction...

and in Sydney

Sydney develops a tramway and the city council has confided us a consultancy assignment that has already resulted in two trips "downunder". On the menu, a planted platform of course! and its delicate insertion along George Street, the main shopping street of Sydney destined to become pedestrian. As sauce, conferences and discussions on other agglomeration and island continent projects. The tram à la française arrives in Australia!