After Alexandre Chemetoff (2000-2010), Marcel Smets and Anne Mie Depuydt (2010-2016), Jacqueline Osty and Claire Schorter (2017-2024), it is the landscaper and urban planner Sylvanie Grée (by then) who is now responsible for writing the history of the transformation of this 337 ha island located in the heart of the Nantes metropolis.. “It is an honor to be able to imagine this new stage of the island of Nanteswith a very committed team driven by a sense of community. We have put the transformation of practices at the heart of our approach as a necessary objective, but also as a source of inventiveness and enthusiasm,” she declared.
In group with Atelier Georges, H2O Architectes, Biotec, The Meaning of the City, Another City, Really Really, Techni’cité and TPF Ingénierie, Sylvanie Grée and her agency will work for the next 8 years (2025-2033) for the urban project management of the island of Nantesin particular the transformation of the southwest part (31 hectares), beyond the new CHU (under construction) and to the southwest tip of the island. This fourth chapterwhich must involve residents and users more, will be marked by a reinforced ecological commitment with a strong ambition for renaturation of the island of Nantes and construction bas carbonewhile responding to objectives of inclusion and solidarity.
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Four teams are working on the future of the island of Nantes
The challenge of ecological bifurcation
“As we open this fourth chapter of the urban project for the island of Nantes, I clearly state our objective: meet the challenge of ecological bifurcationdeclared Johanna Rolland, mayor of Nantes, president of Nantes Métropole and Samoa. The agency by then has convinced us of this point of view.” With Samoa, developer of the island of Nantes, the metropolis intends to give this new chapter several orientations which are part of the roadmap resulting from the major debate “Factory of our cities” and in the climate plan of the developer. They relate to new ways of building the city in order toreduce your carbon emissions and theadapt to global warmingAll while maintaining its united and welcoming dimension for all living things. The objective is to intervene in existing buildings and neighborhoods with a view tocircular urban planningcreate a new mixed neighborhood on a scale of proximity specific to the ¼ hour city et a large parkdemonstrator of ecological bifurcation, both in terms of its size and its method of design (it must constitute a major plant area of 10 continuous hectares of open ground). Located at the heart of a larger 16-hectare complex, it will notably include the quays, banks and Rail gardens. The first phase must be delivered in 2030.
On the 31 ha project area, a 16 hectare park will see the light of day. It will notably include the quays, banks and rail gardens and its first phase must be delivered in 2030. © Samoa
The question ofinvolve citizens in the design of the project and throughout its implementation is also central. “The project management team is asked to deploy a participatory approach in order to involve citizens in the design of the future of the western tip. » recalled Johanna Rolland.
Local roots and recognized know-how
The selected group, which brings together agencies based in Nantes with national influence and co-contractors all with strong commitments to the issues of ecological bifurcation, was set up to meet all these strong expectations and particularly ambitious specifications.
Located in Nantes and Paris, theagency by then think of the landscape as an evolving and living material. She was the winner of the landscape awards in 2022 in the “Project Research” category for her work on Pirmil-Les Isles in Rezé, on the south bank of the Loire. “With the first phase of Pirmil-les-Isles, we have taken an important step in the structuring of biosourced sectors, the island of Nantes must use this experience. Both projects must fuel Nantes-style know-how,” indicates Sylvanie Grée.
At his side, she will be able to rely on theAtelier Georgesarchitects, urban planners and landscapers, also based in Nantes and Paris, and focused on questions of resources and the carbon impact of construction. In the latest Equerre d’Argent rankings, Georges was selected for the public spaces of the former Mellinet barracks in Nantes. The agency will work in tandem with the firm H2Orecognized for its fine approach to the transformation of existing buildings and heritage. H2O was also rewarded in 2023 with the Silver Square for a conversion of offices into social housing in Paris.
Among the other members of the team, the climate, health-well-being and solidarity strategy will be embodied by the Scop Another City and programming and consultation will be worked together by The Meaning of the City et Really Really. Le Sens de la Ville will act on field programming and transitional urban planning strategies while Vraiment Vraiment practices consultation in a renewed way, through prototyping and by putting itself at the service of the project to land real uses and support the project urban.
The technical expertise will be carried out by the pair TPFI et Techni’cité. TPFi has solid references in the rehabilitation of public spaces and Techni’cité works on technical subjects linked to landscaping and has advanced skills in fountaining and watering.
Finally, accustomed to working for a long time with by then, Biotech will be in charge on all matters of ecology and biodiversity. The agency specializes in the renaturation of environments and particularly banks. They have just received the 2024 National Ecological Engineering Prize in the Improvement of ecological continuities category.
“I coordinate the entire project but to push all these subjects with maximum intensity, we set up two teamssummarizes Sylvanie Grée. Concretely, by then it will be fully mobilized, with Atelier Georges on the south-west part and the large park, while Atelier Georges and H2O will intervene on the existing one, because they have real know-how in the field.
Next steps
January 2025: market notification and start of work
From March to June 2025: dialogue with citizens to imagine and build the project together
Summer 2025: presentation of a first version of the guide plan, with the development intentions, in particular the place du grand parc de Loire, real estate projects and public spaces
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