Les Groues: HDZ Urbanistes Architectes will coordinate the urban planning of the ZAC
Paris La Défense has just awarded the urban project management of the ZAC des Groues to the HDZ Urbanistes Architectes group (leader), also composed of Wagon Landscaping, OGI, Zefco and Monono. The team is also responsible for the creation of the public spaces of the Plaine des Sports, a major landscaped facility located to the north-east of the future district.
The previous coordinating urban planner of the ZAC des Groues, the Güller-Güller Architecture group, will continue to support and monitor the first real estate projects entering the operational phase until their delivery, the first of which is expected in 2023.
The Groues location plan for public spaces and green areas © Paris La Défense
Work areas at the ZAC level
Among the expectations of Paris La Défense, the consortium must endeavour to :
- carrying out the sectoral urban studies of the ZAC, then developing the urban, architectural, landscape and sustainable development requirements for the launch of future commercialisations;
- ensure the development and monitoring of real estate projects in the operational phase;
- ensure the follow-up of the EcoQuartier label of the ZAC.
Work areas for the Plaine des Sports
The winning consortium will have to :
- design and build inclusive public spaces and facilities, questioning current uses and the place of everyone, especially vulnerable people (children, the elderly, etc.);
- maximise the presence of nature in the city, for the benefit of health, the well-being of users and biodiversity;
- use environmentally friendly, energy-efficient materials that are in line with the principle of the circular economy;
- integrate, in the design process, consultation stages and public participation procedures, including during the construction phase.
The composition of the consortium
The consortium is a multidisciplinary team composed of urban planners, architects, landscape architects, sociologists and engineers:
- HDZ Urbanistes Architectes (leader): urban planning, architecture, urban programming,
- Wagon Landscaping (co-contractor): landscape, OGI** (co-contractor): technical design office for works, roads, civil engineering and hydrology,
- Zefco (co-contractor): sustainable development consultancy,
- Monono (co-contractor): sociology, usage planning.
A study in progress for more egalitarian public spaces
As part of the Chaire La Défense en perspectives, Paris La Défense has entrusted nine students in the Master 2 programme in urban planning and development at the University of Paris-Nanterre with a study on the inclusive and egalitarian city.
The group, led by Anne Labroille, architect and urban planner, associate lecturer at Paris-Nanterre, identified examples of good practice and egalitarian public spaces in France and Europe. He also surveyed Nanterre's parks and sports facilities to observe how the general public appropriates them.
As a result of this study, this month he is preparing to submit a set of recommendations for more egalitarian public spaces, notably to the HDZ Urbanistes Architectes group.
