When the levee breaks - Rochefort case study
location:
Rochefort
FRANCE
client:
Ville de ROCHEFORT / Europan FRANCE
year:
2019
program:
masterplan - landscape - publicspace
status:
competition Europan 15
Rochefort
FRANCE
client:
Ville de ROCHEFORT / Europan FRANCE
year:
2019
program:
masterplan - landscape - publicspace
status:
competition Europan 15
Rochefort has two main problems. First and most obvious is the rise in sea level, as the storm Xynthia made evident in 2010. The second concerns the social separation between the “intra-muros” and the rest of the city: the ancient ramparts, though mostly demolished, continue to separate the poorest (in the center) and richest residents (outside).
To address this, the two project spaces are two ‘spines’, each of which is articulated around a linear park that structures more ‘hard’ elements (the buildings). The productive spine of the Charente offers diverse ways to contain flood risk, while the social spine of the ramparts reactivates the old glacis between the city center and the rest of the city.
To address this, the two project spaces are two ‘spines’, each of which is articulated around a linear park that structures more ‘hard’ elements (the buildings). The productive spine of the Charente offers diverse ways to contain flood risk, while the social spine of the ramparts reactivates the old glacis between the city center and the rest of the city.
