Local Architecture Network (LAN), a Paris-based studio, has unveiled a series of residential and commercial blocks in the heart of the Amédée Saint-Germain district in Bordeaux. Designed to seamlessly blend into the historic urban fabric, the development uses pale stone and arched motifs, paying homage to the architectural styles of its neighbouring areas.
Located between the Sacré-Cœur neighbourhood and a former industrial zone near the Gare St Jean railway station, the project is part of a broader plan to modernize Bordeaux. Spanning 31,433 square metres, the district comprises offices, shops, and apartments, positioned to reflect the varied and rich context of its surroundings.
LAN’s approach to the design of these new structures aimed to harmonize the differing elements of the district, achieving the necessary density while respecting the city’s architectural history. “The new Amédée Saint-Germain district is defined by its existing, distinctive, and unique architectures,” said LAN, elaborating on their vision for the project.
Design Inspired by Bordeaux’s Architectural Legacy
The architectural studio noted that the project’s vocabulary was shaped by a deep search for common motifs across Bordeaux’s historic architecture and its industrial railway buildings. “The first step in selecting the project’s vocabulary involved searching within this vast ensemble for a common thread capable of spanning history,” LAN explained. “We sought a motif that could be found equally in the architecture of the historic centre as well as in the railway industrial architecture or that of the Sacré-Cœur district.”
LAN’s design sought to balance these influences through the careful use of geometric motifs, window shapes, and the relationship between solids and voids. “It’s a process of seeking a common denominator: the shape of a window, the rhythm of a composition, the relationship between voids and solids, the grid,” the studio added.
Modernity Meets Tradition with Monumental Blocks
The masterplan is divided into three linear strips running north to south, following the railway lines. The largest blocks of the development, positioned overlooking the tracks, combine offices and apartments in monumental forms. LAN designed these structures to introduce a sense of monumentality, with façades clad in pale stone, evoking the proportions of neoclassical Bordeaux buildings.
Features such as false windows, perforated stone, and thin column-like mullions decorate the façades, adding texture and rhythm to the design. “The railway-facing façade composed of the southeastern part is one of the first images a traveller has of the city, a kind of gateway to Bordeaux,” LAN noted. “Here, the buildings become abstract, the elements of the language change scale to introduce a form of monumentality.”
Residential Blocks Reflecting Bordeaux’s Townhouses
To the northwest, facing the city, a series of smaller residential blocks has been designed to reflect the classic townhouses and échoppes of Bordeaux. These low-rise buildings feature diverse façade finishes, including small square perforations and curved cut-out motifs, as well as a screen of stacked arches that shades the balconies. Each block is elevated above a ground-floor lobby, contributing to the district’s unique visual identity.
Public Spaces and Industrial Heritage
At the core of the Amédée Saint-Germain district lies a long public boulevard, designed to preserve the industrial heritage of the area. Shops and public spaces are carefully integrated with the original warehouse structures, offering “breathing space” with wide pedestrian paths. “Everything is built around this industrial archaeology. From public spaces to functional planning, the enhancement of these railway memories was essential,” said LAN.
The project also embraces a heritage approach, incorporating the rehabilitation and showcasing of preserved buildings, while creating visual openings towards the railway network. “This heritage approach includes both the rehabilitation and showcasing of preserved buildings, as well as the creation of visual openings towards the railway network,” LAN added.
LAN’s Ongoing Impact on Urban Design
LAN, founded by Benoit Jallon and Umberto Napolitano in 2002, continues to leave its mark on urban architecture. In addition to the Amédée Saint-Germain district, the studio has worked on various projects, including a mixed-use urban development in Strasbourg and a prison in Nanterre, featuring perforated weathering steel.