reducing territorial imbalances

Located to the south of the tracks of the Paris-Le Havre line, the Mantes-Université Gare sector is occupied in its central part by the Halle Sulzer, an industrial building formerly dedicated to the assembly of boat engines. The arrival of the Eole line in Mantes-la-Jolie in 2024 instills a new development dynamic that tackles the issue of the north-south rebalancing of the station and the definition of a pole adapted to the territory scale.

The new district emphasizes a habitat / activity program in a framework strongly turned towards the pedestrian, where simplified paths and high-quality public spaces contribute to the comfort of use of the multimodal exchange hub project. The new metropolitan dimension of the station hub is accompanied by a de-densification of mobility functions in order to improve spaces: creation of a park and ride, bus station, new station forecourt. The reorganization of the road network makes it possible to distribute the flows in a more coherent way and to alleviate the currently congested axes by eliminating the dead ends and U-turns occurrences.

rehabilitating
an industrial site

The Halle Sulzer is a major attraction of the CAZ. 300m long and 30m wide, it is a must-see, visible from many vantage points in the city and from the trains crossing Mantes. Former site of activity for many Mantois, it has a strong symbolic value.

By its structure as well as by the presence of old overhead cranes bridges, it is a reminder of an industrial architecture, with a strong character and a hallmark of the site’s identity.

programmatic diversityat all scales

This architectural heritage is a unique asset for the CAZ Mantes-Universités. Now abandoned and devoid of use, it has great potential but also arouses great expectations among the people of Mantes. Enhancing this surface is therefore of the utmost importance, to reveal its architectural qualities and to recreate a place that respects the fondness of the inhabitants for this landmark.

The hall is designed to accommodate a large covered garden in its center, taking advantage of the light provided by the removal of its side facades and the presence of the old pits. Lush vegetation is established in the form of “islands” mixing tall trees with shrubs and perennials. On either side of the garden, under the rehabilitated structure, there are university programs, facilities and a multitude of uses thriving in the shared spaces.

PROJECT TEAM

PROJECT MANAGER
Urbanist : ANMA
Landscape : Inuits

PRE-OPERATIONAL
Laure Marait

TECHNICAL SHEET

STATUS On-going research

COMMISSIONED BYEPAMSA

YEAR 2020

SURFACE Site 50 ha – 270 000 m² SP

VIZUALIZATIONS Noé Simonet

SEE +
Angers, Cour Saint-Laud
Lorient, Lorient Odyssée
Mantes-la-Jolie, Quartier Gare