Client: The town of Caudebec-les-Elbeuf
Design team: D PAYSAGE (lead landscape architect), B+C (architects / town planners), Ygrec Ingénierie (infrastructure), Fabrice Bougon (quantity surveyor)
My role: Master plan design & coordination with the architects
Location: Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf, France
Date: 2013
Surface area: 17 900 m²
Budget: 2.75M € excl. VAT
Place Suchetet is an intersection space between the town centre and a future eco-neighbourhood. It is right at the heart of a school, sports and cultural complex with an existing prominent green space opening up towards the hills of the Elbeuf forest. The proposed landscape design responds to the rich heritage of Caudebec-Lès-Elbeuf due to the former weaving industry. The layout is organised in strips and ribbons, to reflect the historical plot shapes. These bands incorporate the various park components such as the sports complex, the gardens (educational, sensorial, sunken gardens) and the children’s play area. The “canvas” is an open lawn area interlaced with the sports complex’s plaza and dotted with majestic trees, an invitation to relax and play ball sports. The “esplanade ribbon” is a linear pedestrian space, hosting flee markets organised by the adjacent cultural centre. The “signature” urban furniture, which ties together the different parts of the project, is inspired by the old workshop weaving looms.