Under the framework of the urban renewal program, the city of Nemours wished to build a social center and a cultural space on the grand esplanade of the Mont Saint-Martin neighborhood. The grouping of a facility of this importance with shops around a reorganized and upgraded public space aims to revitalize activity and strengthen social cohesion. Its central and exposed position help to underscore the building’s function as a public facility.
Visible from all sides, the project connects the rue de Chérelles, the two side streets and the future esplanade of the cultural center.
The building also functions as a link between the upper level of the esplanade and the one below of the parking area. The two superimposed programs follow the same architectural principles: lobbies with double exposure and transparency toward the public space and the interior garden and organization of central points around the patio.
The transparency from the patio toward the outside underscores the axial organization of the project and visually links the two programs. The patio creates an interior space in the building, allowing light to penetrate and opening views between all the spaces in the program, as a complement to the exterior façades. Designed for the users of this public facility, the garden feature can be seen from the street and through the lobbies of the cultural center and the social center. It is a precious and refreshing space in the midst of an environment essentially composed of stone.