CREATION D’UN PÔLE CULTUREL ET COMMERCIAL ET D’UNE PLACE DE VILLAGE
In the aftermath of the violent floods of 2018, which severely impacted the village of Saint-Hilaire and weakened many homes, the municipality launched a comprehensive reflection on the resilience of the territory and the revitalization of its historic center.
Within this framework, it initiated a design competition for the creation of a new commercial and civic hub. The chosen site is a derelict plot located at the foot of the 12th-century abbey that overlooks the village.
Building at the foot of the Saint-Hilaire Abbey means building with humility, in full respect of the monument. This attitude has guided both the urban strategy and the architectural approach: rather than disturbing the historic surroundings, the project seeks to bring order and clarity to the site, framing and enhancing views of the abbey.
More than a building project, this is first and foremost a public space project designed to support multiple uses and collective life. It allows the presence of the monumental abbey to be answered not by mass, but by a carefully composed void, a gathering space for the community.
The bell tower, the highest point of the former fort, dominates the north façade of the abbey. This powerful visual landmark serves as the anchor for the entire composition: the new square is aligned with its axis. This layout is further reinforced by the watercourse flowing from a spring within the fort, collected in a central runnel that crosses the square and emphasizes the spatial orientation.
The dimensions of the square mirror those of the abbey’s cloister, but it is framed by a portico on only two sides, asserting its own character while echoing the existing geometry.
To preserve the continuity of the urban fabric and respect the monument, the project draws inspiration from the vernacular architecture of the region, both in the volume of the new buildings and in their constructive details. However, this is not a pastiche: the facades and openings are clearly contemporary, expressing a respectful yet assertive dialogue with their historic context.
The two new buildings have simple forms, their canal tile roofs blending seamlessly into the built landscape as seen from the abbey terrace. Construction details reference local traditions: low roof edges without gutters, corner chains, modest masonry.
The portico is directly inspired by the site: its cylindrical stone columns reinterpret the remains of former agricultural sheds, creating a material and symbolic continuity between past and present. This dialogue allows the project to integrate gracefully into the historic fabric of Saint-Hilaire.
In order to strengthen the project’s rootedness, materials from on-site demolition are reused. All walls are built using cyclopean concrete incorporating stones, pebbles, and brick fragments. This approach is both constructively robust and environmentally responsible, expressing a quiet, contextual architecture that amplifies rather than competes with the abbey’s presence.
