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Place Lazare Goujon is Once Again Dedicated to Pedestrians

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Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon, by In Situ, in Villeurbanne, France. The renovation project of the Place Lazare Goujon square is located at the entrance of the “Gratte-ciel” (skyscraper) district. Some of you already imagine a project in the heart of New York City amid its many towers, but it is far away from that. Place Lazare Goujon is located in France, in the town of Villeurbanne. It’s in the neighborhood called “Gratte-ciel” that we discover a large pedestrian square at the end of a street leading to two towers of 18 floors. These two towers give their name to the district and create the entryway. Extending away from the towers is a series of buildings, ranging from nine to 11 floors and arranged in a graduated manner. Designed by architect Morice Leroux, the buildings’ design somehow creates lightness in the face of this grandiose architecture.

Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Place Lazare Goujon

The towers were rather something unusual for their time. Thus, we might ask how they got there. This requires us to jump into the past and return to the 1930s. At this time, Lazare Goujon, mayor of Villeurbanne, wanted to provide social housing to the city’s inhabitants. He embarked on the project of designing the housing towers, with an attention to detail and aesthetics remarkable for the time. Goujon, a doctor, also felt it was important for the residents’ health to provide air circulation in the streets around the buildings.

Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Too Many People to Handle As time moved on, the square – once light and airy – became more crowded as the city grew around it. Two important city monuments flank its sides: City Hall and the National Popular Theater. With the theater across the square, the area receives a large flow of pedestrians. Add to that, illegal parking in the area had disfigured the place. Related Articles: 

Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

In Situ – Competition Winners Eventually, the city built an underground parking garage to deal with problems of space and illegal parking. That sparked interest in redeveloping the square. In 2003, the design office In Situ won a competition to design the project with a more modern layout that matches the neighborhood’s structure.
Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

The Design and Concept The design is mainly based on the implementation of two large basins separated by a forecourt of the same width with a large public space organized around it. These basins reflect the buildings that surround the square. An overflow basin with outdoor border tile offers seating around the pools, giving visitors a nice venue to enjoy the freshness of the basins and the 40 fountains that enliven the place. Artist Philippe Favier slipped in a rain of stars by nestling blue and gold glass paste pieces in the blue background of the basins. Planting on Site More than 80 silk trees (Albizia sp.) were planted to replace the catalpa trees (Catalpa sp.) that were there before. These were planted along the two streets bordering the square to the skyscrapers and on the square between City Hall and the theater. The silk trees were selected for their small size, providing a human scale to the neighborhood while also respecting the architecture around them. The lightness of their foliage also offers a bit of flexibility in this straight area, and, of course, provides shade and coolness in the walkways.
Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Place Lazare Goujon.

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Roses climb concrete pergolas, and statues including “The respite from the farmer” by Jules Pendarès, “The Republic Shackled” by Georges Salendre (in which lies a sealed urn containing earth from the concentration camps of Nazi Germany), and a bronze bust of Lazare designed by Jean Chorel were added.
Place Lazare Goujon

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

In Situ envisioned great things for this project and they have done well, demonstrating simplicity and sobriety despite the large size of the elements. Thus, as a tribute to Lazare Goujon, the In Situ team rejuvenated the site and restored its function as a central place dedicated to pedestrians. Do you think this layout is what Mr. Goujon would have wanted?
Place Lazare Goujon.

Place Lazare Goujon. Photo credit: In Situ

Full Project Credits for Place Lazare Goujon:

Project name: Place Lazare Goujon Landscape Architect: In Situ Partners: E2CA, BET VRD Location: Villeurbanne, France Area: 10,000 square meters Year: 2008 Show on Google Maps

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Article by Alexandra Wilmet

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