ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Carros in Nice, France by N+B ArchitectsApril 7th, 2012 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: N+B Architects Parking’s presence of the urban space in front of the Forum Jacques Prevert in Carros, allows a better management of the car parks which blocked the environment of this part of the city center of Carros. We wished to set up the architectural and urban elements which give viability to this project of evacuation of the traffic, especially positioning the parking lot as entity registered in the landscape.
The first axis developed in the project is the one of the management of the landscape and the space by optimizing the space of the site. The site presents main advantages that are its slope, and a wide zone with lot of trees. This axis of development passes by scale’s control of landscape’s parking. The second axis consists in finding district’s scale, in taking up the site, in registering an identity of the place in agreement with its environment. Bring to the foreground the qualities existing in the site by asserting at the same time its respect for the place, while displaying as determinedly contemporary architecture. Contemporary architecture here to Carros means architecture in adequacy with the technicality necessary for the program while proposing one urban space on district’s scale in adequacy with the current urban practices. Organize the public place planned so as to make it play its role of urban pole capable of revaluing the district and of working as continuation. Landscape’s implementation Parking implementation’s project is also a landscape project. The city is a landscape, a juxtaposition of socioeconomic functions and wills of embellishment, as much for the simple delight of the life in urban zones as for the economic and social development of the urbanized sectors. The creation of parking and the arrangements which surround it is a founding act of a public places politic, thought for the local resident as for the user of the public places. A real urban place can be developed here, offering space public qualities appropriate for the place, associated with a vast green space protecting natural site qualities. This development will be a link between entities which, until now, remained juxtaposed. The inscription in the landscape, by the material used, allowed a putting in a safe place of people towards the various flows, by a work on the limits and answers an appropriate scale. To strengthen our will of soft and environment-friendly insertion, the work on the material appeared to us as fundamental. This wooden unique skin answers this will. The project intends to join in the time by taking into account a sustainable development which becomes an essential prerequisite in any construction today. Our intervention takes into account the program, but also, the architectural flexibility, the environmental protection, the public character of the bui lding. The studio N+B Architects, located in Montpellier was created by two architects DPLG, Elodie Nourrigat and Jacques Brion, both graduated from the National and Superior School of Montpellier, France. They are both graduated in philosophy and members of the laboratory of Research Gerphau (laboratory of Research for Philosophy, Architecture and Urban Matter, supervised by Chris Younès, philosopher). The office was founded on the base of a common will to “create”, by which they meant not to let themselves be slaves for an attractive architecture, a virtual one that would only remain conceptual, nothing but ideas. On the contrary they want their ideas to take shape, to confront them to a built architecture. Aware that the practice of architecture requires a constant mix of cultures, an exchange with other disciplines, the studio multiplies its activities. They have just delivered a new Secondary School in Morières-lès-Avignon, the restructuration of the Paul Valery High School in Menton and the construction of a parking in Carros. The studio work actually on a development of the ZAC in Gignac and the restructuration of the Montpellier’s General Accounts. They participate to national and international competitions. In September 2008, they were invited to the 11th Biennale d’architecture of Venise and were present in the French Pavilion. The same year, the studio won the Prize “Europe 40 under 40” organized by the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. Elodie NOURRIGAT received in june 2008 in London the Prize “Atkins Inspire Awards” in the international category. This Prize distinguishing women in building’s field. They travel a lot in residence: Villa Kujoyama, Kyoto, program of research in residence of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Culture, research with the Grant Electra by the Foundation EDF. They are regularly invited as teachers abroad: Universities of Laval in Québec (Canada), RMIT in Melbourn (Australia), Tohku University in Sendai (Japan), College of Design – University of Kentucky (Lexington, Kentucky, USA). In 2006, they created and organize now annually the Festival of Lively Architectures in Montpellier. The Festival tries to make people aware to architecture giving them tools to understand it by allowing people who live in town to meet people who draw the town. This Festival offers young architects to propose, think, investigate and experiment new fields of architectural design in relation with the classic town . Contact N+B Architects
Categories: Parking Structure, Urban Design |