Les Rives du Bohrie
Located in the heart of Ostwald, between the dynamic Strasbourg tram line and the serene backdrop of the forest, "Les Rives du Bohrie" stands out as a singular architectural intervention. Designed by Maison Édouard François, the project emerged from an architectural competition that allowed the team to transcend the site’s strict regulatory constraints.
A Contemporary Reinterpretation of Heritage
The project’s core concept is a deliberately "Strasbourgeois" architectural language. At a time when new development zones risk looking generic, this project advocates for creative mimicry. The goal is to establish stronger connections between the outskirts and the historic city centers, which are now linked in an instant by modern mobility like the tramway.
Moving beyond simple "pastiche," the project reinterprets traditional ornamentation and regional craftsmanship. In collaboration with artist François Mangeol, the theme of half-timbering is deconstructed and elevated:
Imprints and Structures: The half-timbering appears either as imprints on the concrete facades or as "airy" timber frames, emptied of masonry. These hollow structures create unique outdoor living spaces for the residents.
Urban Poetry: Under Mangeol’s artistic direction, the timber patterns become a coded poem about storks. Each fragment represents a word which, when assembled, composes the complete poem.
Urban Integration and Quality of Life
The project is characterized by a clever fragmentation of building masses. Organized into separate, sometimes semi-detached buildings, these entities ensure a harmonious fit within the urban fabric. While each building has its own specific architecture, they are all unified by the half-timbering theme.
The design prioritizes both sustainability and inhabitant comfort:
Bioclimatic Design: Through an innovative distribution system, 100% of the apartments are dual-aspect, ensuring cross-ventilation and optimal natural light.
Cooling Islands: The buildings are set back from the street alignment to create wide strips of open ground. These areas allow for long-term greening of the facades with climbing plants, creating natural "islands of freshness."
