1 Dec 2024

Newsletter n°50

^{A new partner!}

As the end of the year approaches, we are delighted to announce some exciting news - Ikbal Bouaïta has joined the partnership.
A Paris-La Villette-École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture graduate, Ikbal Bouaïta acquired extensive architectural experience in Amsterdam, New York and Paris before managing one of the Richez_Associés' Architecture departments since early 2022.
In this department, he was directly involved in the competitions for the Porto-Vecchio port, the Toulouse Energy Recovery Unit, the Soufflerie de Toulouse urban arts museum and community facilities and also the Commercial Tribunal project in Abidjan.
Ikbal Bouaïta joins the partnership alongside Thomas Richez, Vincent Cottet and Michele Circella with whom he will contribute to the Richez_Associés design ethic – deployed since 1985 throughout France and internationally by the 120 staff in the architecture, urban planning, landscape, and transportation disciplines.
In addition to projects, Ikbal will also contribute his passionate commitment and skills to the Richez_Associés Lab, business development and public relations.
Now, take a quick look at our latest project in this newsletter!

^{New Energy Recovery Unit (ERU), Toulouse}

In a consortium led by Suez, along with Banque des Territoires, we have recently been confided an important commission - the future Energy Recovery Unit project for the City of Toulouse and Decoset Public Private Initiative. Given our extensive experience in industrial programmes such as maintenance centres, this is our first urban services project. We have a global design approach to this element within the productive city. Concurrently a technical and poetic concept, it focuses on its historical heritage and clearly creates a landscape, while asserting its strong symbolism. Industrial by nature, the project is developed within an articulated, refined "Architecture-Landscape" and a "Landscape Architecture" that is both natural and abundant.

^{Commercial Tribunal, Abidjan}

In our proposal for the Commercial Tribunal precinct in Abidjan, we deploy universal judicial components - symmetry, the solemnity of the hearing and verdict – with local elements such as the palaver tree, dense planting together with a textile pattern that inspires its floor design… of course, all integrated within a sustainable approach: rammed laterite concrete for the courtroom walls, recycled cooled dehumidified air in the bioclimatic public lobby and a large photovoltaic sunshade over the entire building. The project will inevitably inspire others. Meanwhile the Grand Marche de Bouaké further north is still under construction. Its 8,000 retailers will move in next summer!

^{New tram line, Brussels}

On 23rd September, with the Belgian King at the controls, Philippe Close Mayor of Brussels proudly inaugurated the Tramline 10 extension within the Brussels network. With its 10 stations, the 5.5km extension serves the suburban Neder-Over-Heembeek neighbourhood, Together with our Brussels consultant Espaces-Mobilités, we are proud to have integrated the extension with its public spaces resulting from extensive public consultation. Taking into account passengers, the development gives priority to extensive biotope planting configured in detail to absorb current climate changes.

^{Our 4 stations, Grand Paris Express}

Two of our stations along the Line 15 southern section - from Pont de Sèvres to Noisy-Champs - are under construction: Villiers-Champigny-Bry accommodates the large golden drape that lines the wall and ceiling in the large daylit lobby, while the Champigny-Centre is clad in stone and the gentle wave of its ample timber ceiling evokes the Marne River.

At Massy-Palaiseau on Line 18, an important stage in the completion of the shell and core, the steel structure fabricated in Portugal that crowns the station has arrived at last.

Finally, a design and build contract undertaken by the NGE-Webuild led consortium, our fourth station in Les Grésillons is currently undergoing preliminary groundwork while planning approval and the technical design are in preparation.

^{360° City, Carrières-sur-Seine}

Along with Péna Paysages and TUGEC, Grand Paris Aménagement has confided us the urban and public space project for a vast operation under study since 2017 in the north of Carrières-sur-Seine, on the edge of the Montesson plain. Extending over 83ha, linked to a new interchange on the A14 motorway, the operation will transform the district and integrate it into Greater Paris.

Our proposal is based on a threefold design intent: the reinforcement of agricultural and urban boundaries, transformation of a peaceful urban avenue to encourage soft means of transport and development of the local economy, within a concept inspired by the landscape matrix to strengthen the visibility and coherence of neighbourhoods and public spaces.

Public consultation on the project is underway!

News Desk

^{Club Ville Hybride}

The Club Ville Hybride met 16th September at Richez_Associés for a special session on our theme "La rue commune" that redefines roads within large cities around pedestrians, bicycles and the local community, which proposes extensive planting and allocates vehicle access, to replace the vehicle dominance of today. With the participation of Franck Boutté and Léonard, our partners in this undertaking along with key players in Greater Paris development, the round table was followed by design workshops to put into practice these ideas to transform our streets; already undertaken in Paris - we participate in the "Rue aux Écoles" operation - and soon for all municipalities throughout France!