Saint-Omer

This project creates the structure for a productive, inhabited district at the threshold of a large-scale park system which combines landscapes, economic activity and water and rail networks. The canal infrastructure thickens and becomes multi-functional: it supports transportation, biodiversity, a flood zone and water resources. Located on an infrastructure embankment, the eastern part of the brownfield site is protected from flooding, allowing for human settlement around the station.
The Western point will be submerged by 2050 and is home to a park overlooking the canal, preserving the shared visibility between the restored Halle aux Choux and the historic heritage centre. #cutThis reversible landscaped structure ensures continuity between the city and the water and hydraulic transparency of the ground surfaces. A city-owned tree nursery prefigures this park and serves as a sign of changes to come, while also helping to control expenditure on the development of future public spaces.
The district features ordered architectural typologies that give it an urban feel, laid out in a way that welcomes the movement of users as well as that of water. It combines a strong urban character at the entrance to the town with a new landscape that embraces the natural dynamics of water. The project is part of the European COOL TOWNS research programme to combat urban heat islands.