Context analyses. Macro. Bondy is in a state of transition. Numerous projects are in motion which will drastically change the DNA of the city. The new M15 east metro line, Tzen3 Bus Rapid Transit, potential water taxis and developments along the canal create a stronger connection with the centre of Paris. These conditions will not only benefit the existing population but also hold the potential of attracting new inhabitants who seek more spacious and/or affordable housing in the periphery of the city centre.
The clustered car dependent retail fabric of the avenue Gallieni is unique in the region and is likely to continue to serve it’s purpose for a long time to come. The new public transport connections however holds the potential of offering alternatives to car-users. Home deliveries, rentals and taxis are services which many companies already offer.
Meso. Bondy is clustered around two important axes. The Rue Roger Sanlegro which connects the station to the bridge over the canal to continue into the Route D’Aulnay on the other side. Alongside this axis connections can be found to the town hall, church, library, public greenery, cinema and several small local businesses. The other axis is the canal bordered by the avenue Gallieni. The potential of both axes working as strong structural elements in the city is being overshadowed by the lack of qualitative public space, permeability and human scale of the project site.
The master plan ZAC des Rives de l’Ourcq proposes the redevelopment of the industrial fabric and creates the opportunity for both sides of the canal to reconnect.
Public greenery in Bondy is scares. There is a small park situated at the library and the parc du bois de Bondy in the northern part.
Most of the existing urban fabric in Bondy is attractive to pedestrians. The rebuilding of the Avenue Gallieni will restore the human scale of the street and make it more accessible to walk by foot. The cycling path along the canal is well equipped and runs all the way to the center of Paris. And extended biking network perpendicular to the canal will stimulate cycling within the city.
Micro. The project-site as it presents itself today resembles a fortified structure that prevents inhabitants to enjoy the idyllic qualities of the canal. The large retail monoliths are surrounded by large parking lots and service areas closed off by a fence. As a second border the 10 car lanes and bridge of the Avenue Gallieni makes crossing a challenge and creates a rough and inhuman environment. The rebuilding of the street for the Tzen3 will already be a major first step in restoring the relationship between the canal and the city center.
At the back of the large retail machines you have a juxtaposition of blind walls, fences and technical installations and the idyllic setting of plane trees along the canal that is enjoyed by numerous joggers, cyclists, strollers and dog walkers. The main bridge connecting both sides is mainly functional and not very inviting for pedestrians.
Because of the depth, the connection with surrounding schools and sound barrier of the shops facing the street the small scale housing fabric on the east of the site has kept a lot of its original qualities. But all this is abruptly disrupted by the Bricorama store which isolated avenue Marguerite from the rest of the streets.
Master plan. The urban plan is no tabula rasa approach but takes in account the complex conditions of the site. The existing parcel layout is reincorporated. The plan is not intended to be constructed in a predefined order, nor does the plan need to be completed for it to work. Each element is powerful enough to generate a positive change without disrupting the existing tissue.
Strategies. The urban plan can be divided in 3 strategic areas. The first area is the retail fabric located on both sides of the Route d’Aulnay. The second is the area around the bridge of the Route d’ Aulnay. The third is the area reaching from the housing of Avenue Marguerite to Rue des Ecoles.
Area 1. Generating space. One of the key problems of the site is that the commercial developments form a wall towards the avenue Gallieni which makes the canal hidden away and hard to reach from the town center. All the retail units are surrounded by a parking and a fence and are often build on the edge of the plot. To counter these reoccurring problems we propose a set of rules which can be applied in case of new developments.
-Parcels smaller than 5000m² cannot be redeveloped when becoming vacant unless joined together with bordering plots.
-New developments have to keep a minimum distance of 12,5 m from the bordering plot of another occupant.
-Parking and technical installations have to be within the outlines of the building.
-Parking entrance and logistics have to be located at the front facing avenue Gallieni.
The cleared strips of land in between the new developments will be made public. In this way the area opens up to canal and reconnects with the city.
Rainwater management. Through the reduction of hard surfaces and green roofs the rainwater capacity of the area will vastly improve. The green zones in the plan are designed to be used as buffer zones in case off overcapacity on the net. All new buildings will make use of recuperated rainwater.
Hybrids. The roof and sides of the retail buildings can be developed for housing. In this way the high land prices can be met. A broad variety of housing types can be developed to create a healthy social mixture of inhabitants in time. Housing type 1 is a combination of ground bound starter units and rooftop houses with gardens for the nuclear family. Housing type 2 offers more luxury apartments with 1 until 3 bedrooms. Housing type 3 is combination of duplexes for young families and flats for the elderly.
Omnidirectional buildings. As mention earlier the front facing the street are reserved for the services of the commercial function. The sides will be developed as housing or offices. The spaces in the back facing the canal are available for bicycle storage, hobbyists and leisure.
Diverse public space. The new public spaces in between the buildings have a specific use which can be adjusted to needs of the public. They are reserved for playgrounds, parks, allotments and sport fields.
Social participation and control. To avoid that these new public spaces need to be closed off at night time the housing units and entrances are facing the sides to bring a level of social control to these areas. By letting the inhabitants participate and care for these spaces they will become a collective responsibility instead of a worry for the municipality.
Machines à habiter. Because of the volume and external circulation shafts the buildings have a rough exterior that fits well with the industrial environment of the other side of the canal. The rough exterior is in contrast to warm living spaces in direct connection to the rooftop gardens and communal greenery. The variety in building typologies creates a lively skyline.
Area 2. Area lies on the crossing of the Route D’Aulnay and the Avenue Galleini. This point connects the two main axes of the city. We propose to put the traffic in a tunnel underneath the canal. The cleared space is turned into a market square. A new pedestrian bridge makes the connection the green area of the ZAC des Rives de l’Ourcq. The hybrid buildings on the both sides have a commercial ground floor facing the square. The building on the left has a multipurpose gymnasium on the floor above. The building on the right has a hub for starting businesses on the second floor.
Area 3. In this area we want to restore the existing qualities. We propose to redevelop the Bricorama plot into small scale housing and reconnect the Avenue Marguerite with rest of the streets. The houses are well connected with the schools and kindergarten alongside Rue des Ecoles. Alongside the Avenue Galleini new small scale commercial units are added which complete the street and create a sound barrier towards the neighborhood behind.