Site development at the Familistère in Guise, France by h2o architectes

Article source: h2o architectes

The Familistère is a vast housing complex founded by Jean-Baptiste André Godin in 1859 in relation with the stove manufacturing business. Until 1968, this Social Palace was the theatre of a unique social experimentation in the industrial world: the Familistère was a sort of utopia for an industrial society composed like an urban transition between the town and the park of the city island nearby.

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

• Architects: h2o architectes
• Project: Site development at the Familistère
• Location: Guise, France
• Photography: Stéphane Chalmeau ,FkP
• Software used: Rhino
• Program: Public space of the Familistère in Guise (4Ha), , Shared space 20Km/h, Footbridge, bridge extension, urban furniture (bench, signage), lighting.
• Client: Syndicat Mixte du Familistère Godin
• SEDA:  Société d’Equipement du Département de l’Aisne.
• Team: h2o architectes (lead architect) , Michel Desvigne Paysagiste (landscape architect), France Aires (Exterior infrastructure Engineer), , HDA (structure engineer).
• Specificity: Classified Site for Historical Monuments
• Surface: 4 Hectare
• Construction cost: 3 000 000 € HT
• Date: Delivered Janvier 2014

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

The development suggested by the office respects three fundamental themes: unity of place, heritage and experimentation.

The project establishes a new readability of the site by creating a new sense of unity between its different existing parts. The great mineral square in the centre for example creates a new tension between the different buildings and reactivates the original axial planning.

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

At the heart of the site, a series of thematic “islands” at a reduced scale allow for an easy and constantly renewed use. The program of events on these « thematic islands » is open to constant improvisation and experimentation, echoing Godin’s philosophy about invention and incompletion.

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © Stéphane Chalmeau

Image Courtesy © FkP

Image Courtesy © h2o architectes

Image Courtesy © h2o architectes

Image Courtesy © h2o architectes

Image Courtesy © h2o architectes

Image Courtesy © h2o architectes

Tags: France, Guise

Categories: Public Landscapes, Rhino, Urban Design

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 6th, 2014 at 6:31 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.