atelierphilippemadec (Rennes)
The Town of Noumea
Status: co-prize-winner with Groupe Signes
The historic colonial city Noumea, built by convicts on a grid plan, has gradually turned its back on the sea, thanks to unfortunate town planning. This project aims to reconquer the city?s quays and reorient the city towards its ports.
Atelierphilippemadec has proposed a development of the historic centre that extends the orthogonal layout to Port Moselle and creates a continuous seaside park leading along the quays to the industrial port.
The displacement and reconstruction of the old covered market, which failed to meet hygiene norms, allows the reopening of perspectives and roads from the centre. The creation of a Marine District that groups together maritime and tourist activities allows the town centre to be stretched as far as possible towards and into the sea, right up to the end of the Port Moselle jetty, upon which will be built the Pavillon du Lagon et du Développement Durable (Lagoon and Sustainable Development Pavilion).
The creation of new mixed islands (housing, activities, commerce and public utilities with parking facilities), the opening of new public gardens and parks, while preserving the existing gardens and their social functions, the pedestrianisation of the quays and a greening of the avenues in the town centre will create a town that is more pleasant to live in, less dry and less congested with traffic.